Intel Core i7-4960X vs Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i7-4960X or Intel Core i7-4960X – 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 i7-4960X features 6 processor cores and has the capability to manage 12 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2013 and belongs to the 4 generation of the Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition series.
To use the Intel Core i7-4960X, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 2011 socket.
The Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5 features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2015 and belongs to the 5 generation of the Intel Xeon E3 series.
To use the Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1151 socket.
Intel Core i7-4960X Name Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5
Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition Family Intel Xeon E3
Intel Core i 4000X Group Intel Xeon E3 v5
4 Generation 5
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i7-4960X has 6 CPU cores and can calculate 12 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-4960X is 3.6 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 Xeon E3-1280 v5 has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5 is 3.7 GHz
normal Core architecture normal
12 Threads 8
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
4.0 GHz Turbo Frequency (all cores) 3.9 GHz
4.0 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 4.0 GHz
3.6 GHz Frequency 3.7 GHz
6x Cores 4x
Yes Overclocking No
6 CPU Cores 4
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i7-4960X does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5 does not have integrated graphics.
-- Execution units --
-- GPU (Turbo) --
-- Max. displays --
-- Generation --
-- Direct X --
-- Release date --
-- Technology --
-- Shaders --
GPU name
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
-- GPU frequency --
 
 

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

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

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.
-- JPEG --
-- VC-1 --
-- AVC --
-- VP8 --
-- VP9 --
-- h264 --
-- AV1 --
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) --
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) --
 
 

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 59.7 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 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
59.7 GB/s Bandwidth 34.1 GB/s
DDR3-1866 Memory type DDR4-2133
64.0 GB Max. Memory 64.0 GB
No ECC Yes
4 Memory channels 2
pci PCIe pci
Yes AES-NI Yes
 
 

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.
The processor has a thermal design power (TDP) of 80 W watts.
130 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 80 W
-- Tjunction max --
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-4960X 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 15.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Xeon E3-1280 v5 is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 8.0 MB cache.
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
LGA 2011 Socket LGA 1151
VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
Q3/2013 Release date Q4/2015
-- Part Number --
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
22 nm Technology 14 nm
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux
960 $ Release price --
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
15.0 MB L3-Cache 8.0 MB
0 bytes L2-Cache 0 bytes
Ivy Bridge E Architecture Skylake S
SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2