Intel Core i7-950 vs Intel Core i7-970

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i7-950 or Intel Core i7-950 – which processor offers superior performance? In this comparison, we examine disparities and assess which of these two CPUs outperforms the other. We delve into technical specifications and benchmark outcomes.
The Intel Core i7-950 features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2009 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-950, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1366 socket.
The Intel Core i7-970 features 6 processor cores and has the capability to manage 12 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2010 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-970, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1366 socket.
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i7-950 Name Intel Core i7-970
Intel Core i7 Family Intel Core i7
1 Generation 1
Intel Core i7 900 Group Intel Core i7 900
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i7-950 has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-950 is 3.06 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.33 GHz.
The Intel Core i7-970 has 6 CPU cores and can calculate 12 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-970 is 3.2 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.46 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
3.33 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 3.46 GHz
No Overclocking No
normal Core architecture normal
3.06 GHz Frequency 3.2 GHz
8 Threads 12
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
4 CPU Cores 6
4x Cores 6x
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i7-950 does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Core i7-970 does not have integrated graphics.
-- GPU frequency --
-- Release date --
-- Direct X --
GPU name
-- Technology --
-- Max. displays --
-- Shaders --
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
-- Execution units --
-- Generation --
-- GPU (Turbo) --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

-- AI specifications --
-- AI hardware --
 
 

Hardware codec support

A photo or video codec that is accelerated in hardware can greatly accelerate the working speed of a processor and extend the battery life of notebooks or smartphones when playing videos.
-- AVC --
-- VC-1 --
-- VP9 --
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) --
-- h264 --
-- VP8 --
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) --
-- JPEG --
-- AV1 --
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 24.0 GB distributed across 3 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
3 Memory channels 3
24.0 GB Max. Memory 24.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
No AES-NI No
No ECC No
25.6 GB/s Bandwidth 25.6 GB/s
DDR3-1066 Memory type DDR3-1066
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 130 W watts.
TDP indicates the cooling solution needed to effectively manage the processor's heat. It generally provides an approximate indication of the actual power consumption of the CPU itself.
-- Tjunction max --
130 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 130 W
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-950 is manufactured using a 45 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 8.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i7-970 is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 12.0 MB cache.
Q2/2009 Release date Q3/2010
BX80601950 Part Number --
1.0 MB L2-Cache 1.5 MB
VT-x, VT-x EPT Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT
SSE4.1, SSE4.2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
Bloomfield Architecture Gulftown
45 nm Technology 32 nm
LGA 1366 Socket LGA 1366
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
305 $ Release price 594 $
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
8.0 MB L3-Cache 12.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
6517
6517
Intel Core i7-950
4C 8T @ 3.06 GHz
3178
3178

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
3263
3263
Intel Core i7-950
4C 8T @ 3.06 GHz
2313
2313

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
2654
2654
Intel Core i7-950
4C 8T @ 3.06 GHz
1965
1965

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
2209
2209
Intel Core i7-950
4C 8T @ 3.06 GHz
1442
1442

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
620
620
Intel Core i7-950
4C 8T @ 3.06 GHz
590
590

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
582
582
Intel Core i7-950
4C 8T @ 3.06 GHz
569
569