Intel Core i7-4770K vs Intel Core i7-3960X

Last updated:

CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i7-4770K or Intel Core i7-4770K – 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 i7-4770K features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q2/2013 and belongs to the 4 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-4770K, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1150 socket.
The Intel Core i7-3960X features 6 processor cores and has the capability to manage 12 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2011 and belongs to the 3 generation of the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition series.
To use the Intel Core i7-3960X, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 2011 socket.
Intel Core i 4000 Group Intel Core i 3000X
4 Generation 3
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i7-4770K Name Intel Core i7-3960X
Intel Core i7 Family Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i7-4770K has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-4770K is 3.5 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.9 GHz.
The Intel Core i7-3960X has 6 CPU cores and can calculate 12 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-3960X is 3.3 GHz
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
8 Threads 12
4x Cores 6x
4 CPU Cores 6
normal Core architecture normal
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
Yes Overclocking Yes
3.9 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 3.9 GHz
3.5 GHz Frequency 3.3 GHz
3.7 GHz Turbo Frequency (all cores) 3.9 GHz
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i7-4770K has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i7-4770K 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.
The Intel Core i7-3960X does not have integrated graphics.
160 Shaders --
Q2/2013 Release date --
22 nm Technology --
11.1 Direct X --
2.0 GB Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
-- Max. displays --
20 Execution units --
0.35 GHz GPU frequency --
7.5 Generation --
1.25 GHz GPU (Turbo) --
Intel HD Graphics 4600 GPU name
 
 

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

Memory & PCIe

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.
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.
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
DDR3-1600 Memory type DDR3-1600
No ECC No
32.0 GB Max. Memory 64.0 GB
2 Memory channels 4
25.6 GB/s Bandwidth 51.2 GB/s
 
 

Thermal Management

The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 84 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 130 W watts.
84 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 130 W
-- Tjunction max --
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-4770K is manufactured using a 22 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 i7-3960X is manufactured using a 32 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 15.0 MB cache.
Q2/2013 Release date Q4/2011
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d (C2 Stepping)
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX
22 nm Technology 32 nm
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
292 $ Release price 970 $
Haswell S Architecture Sandy Bridge E
8.0 MB L3-Cache 15.0 MB
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
-- Part Number --
LGA 1150 Socket LGA 2011
0 bytes L2-Cache 0 bytes
 
 

Benchmarks

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
19300
19300
Intel Core i7-4770K
4C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
14700
14700

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
4973
4973
Intel Core i7-4770K
4C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
3715
3715

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-4770K
4C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
3946
3946
Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
3488
3488

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-4770K
4C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
3813
3813
Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
3314
3314

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
2643
2643
Intel Core i7-4770K
4C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
2027
2027

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-4770K
4C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
1165
1165
Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
736
736

Cinebench R15 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
1158
1158
Intel Core i7-4770K
4C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
709
709

Cinebench R15 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
159
159
Intel Core i7-4770K
4C 8T @ 3.5 GHz
141
141