Intel Core i7-3970X vs Intel Core i5-4690

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i7-3970X or Intel Core i7-3970X – 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 i7-3970X features 6 processor cores and has the capability to manage 12 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2012 and belongs to the 3 generation of the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition series.
To use the Intel Core i7-3970X, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 2011 socket.
The Intel Core i5-4690 features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 4 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2014 and belongs to the 4 generation of the Intel Core i5 series.
To use the Intel Core i5-4690, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1150 socket.
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i7-3970X Name Intel Core i5-4690
Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition Family Intel Core i5
3 Generation 4
Intel Core i 3000X Group Intel Core i 4000
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i7-3970X has 6 CPU cores and can calculate 12 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-3970X is 3.5 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 4.0 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
The Intel Core i5-4690 has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 4 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i5-4690 is 3.5 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.9 GHz.
4.0 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 3.9 GHz
Yes Overclocking No
normal Core architecture normal
3.5 GHz Frequency 3.5 GHz
12 Threads 4
4.0 GHz Turbo Frequency (all cores) 3.7 GHz
Yes Hyperthreading No
6 CPU Cores 4
6x Cores 4x
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i7-3970X does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Core i5-4690 has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i5-4690 uses the Intel HD Graphics 4600, which has 160 texture shaders
and 20 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
-- GPU frequency 0.35 GHz
-- Release date Q2/2013
-- Direct X 11.1
GPU name Intel HD Graphics 4600
-- Technology 22 nm
-- Max. displays --
-- Shaders 160
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 2.0 GB
-- Execution units 20
-- Generation 7.5
-- GPU (Turbo) 1.2 GHz
 
 

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 Decode / Encode
-- VC-1 Decode
-- VP9 No
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) No
-- h264 Decode / Encode
-- VP8 No
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) No
-- JPEG Decode
-- AV1 No
 
 

Memory & PCIe

The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 64.0 GB distributed across 4 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 51.2 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 32.0 GB distributed across 2 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.
4 Memory channels 2
64.0 GB Max. Memory 32.0 GB
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
No ECC No
51.2 GB/s Bandwidth 25.6 GB/s
DDR3-1600 Memory type DDR3-1600
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 150 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.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 84 W watts.
-- Tjunction max --
150 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 84 W
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-3970X is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
A smaller manufacturing process indicates a more contemporary and energy-efficient CPU.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 15.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i5-4690 is manufactured using a 22 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 6.0 MB cache.
Q4/2012 Release date Q2/2014
-- Part Number --
0 bytes L2-Cache 0 bytes
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d (C2 Stepping) Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
Sandy Bridge E Architecture Haswell S
32 nm Technology 22 nm
LGA 2011 Socket LGA 1150
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
820 $ Release price 224 $
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
15.0 MB L3-Cache 6.0 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3970X
6C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
19425
19425
Intel Core i5-4690
4C 4T @ 3.5 GHz
11339
11339

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3970X
6C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
4981
4981
Intel Core i5-4690
4C 4T @ 3.5 GHz
2913
2913

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i5-4690
4C 4T @ 3.5 GHz
3597
3597
Intel Core i7-3970X
6C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
3350
3350

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3970X
6C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
3512
3512
Intel Core i5-4690
4C 4T @ 3.5 GHz
3378
3378

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3970X
6C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
2623
2623
Intel Core i5-4690
4C 4T @ 3.5 GHz
1581
1581

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i5-4690
4C 4T @ 3.5 GHz
1193
1193
Intel Core i7-3970X
6C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
742
742

Cinebench R15 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3970X
6C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
1065
1065
Intel Core i5-4690
4C 4T @ 3.5 GHz
534
534

Cinebench R15 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i5-4690
4C 4T @ 3.5 GHz
152
152
Intel Core i7-3970X
6C 12T @ 3.5 GHz
135
135