Intel Core i7-960 vs Intel Core i5-12600K

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i7-960 or Intel Core i7-960 – 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 i7-960 features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2009 and belongs to the 1 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-960, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1366 socket.
The Intel Core i5-12600K features 10 processor cores and has the capability to manage 16 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q4/2021 and belongs to the 12 generation of the Intel Core i5 series.
To use the Intel Core i5-12600K, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1700 socket.
Intel Core i7 900 Group Intel Core i 12000
1 Generation 12
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i7-960 Name Intel Core i5-12600K
Intel Core i7 Family Intel Core i5
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Core i7-960 has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-960 is 3.2 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.46 GHz.
The Intel Core i5-12600K has 10 CPU cores and can calculate 16 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the A-Core is 3.7 GHz.
The number of CPU cores greatly affects the speed of the processor and is an important performance indicator.
Processors with hybrid (big.LITTLE) architecture strike a balance between performance and power efficiency, making them ideal for mobile devices.
8 Threads 16
4x Cores None
None None 2.8 GHz
4 CPU Cores 10
normal Core architecture hybrid (big.LITTLE)
None None 6x Golden Cove
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
None None 3.7 GHz
None None 4.9 GHz
No Overclocking Yes
None None 4x Gracemont
None None 3.6 GHz
3.46 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) None
3.2 GHz Frequency None
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i7-960 does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Core i5-12600K has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i5-12600K uses the Intel UHD Graphics 770, which has 256 texture shaders
and 32 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
-- Shaders 256
-- Release date Q4/2021
-- Technology 10 nm
-- Direct X 12
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 64.0 GB
-- Max. displays --
-- Execution units 32
-- GPU frequency 0.3 GHz
-- Generation 11
-- GPU (Turbo) 1.45 GHz
GPU name Intel UHD Graphics 770
 
 

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

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.
The processor supports a maximum memory capacity of 128.0 GB distributed across 2 memory channels. It offers a peak memory bandwidth of 76.8 GB/s. Both the type and quantity of memory can have a substantial impact on the overall system performance.
pci PCIe pci
No AES-NI Yes
DDR3-1066 Memory type DDR4-3200, DDR5-4800
No ECC Yes
24.0 GB Max. Memory 128.0 GB
3 Memory channels 2
25.6 GB/s Bandwidth 76.8 GB/s
 
 

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 125 W watts.
None TDP (PL2) 150 W
130 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 125 W
-- Tjunction max 100 °C
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-960 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 i5-12600K is manufactured using a 10 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 20.0 MB cache.
Q4/2009 Release date Q4/2021
VT-x, VT-x EPT Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
SSE4.1, SSE4.2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2, AVX2+
45 nm Technology 10 nm
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
305 $ Release price 289 $
Bloomfield Architecture Alder Lake S
8.0 MB L3-Cache 20.0 MB
Windows 10, Linux Operating systems Windows 10, Linux, Windows 11
Technical data sheet Documents Technical data sheet
x86-64 (64 bit) Instruction set (ISA) x86-64 (64 bit)
BX80601960 Part Number BX8071512600K
LGA 1366 Socket LGA 1700
1.0 MB L2-Cache 9.5 MB
 
 

Benchmarks

Estimated results for PassMark CPU Mark

Intel Core i5-12600K
10C 16T @ 3.7 GHz
27830
27830
Intel Core i7-960
4C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
3266
3266

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i5-12600K
10C 16T @ 3.7 GHz
11991
11991
Intel Core i7-960
4C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
2130
2130

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i5-12600K
10C 16T @ 3.7 GHz
11912
11912
Intel Core i7-960
4C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
2370
2370

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i5-12600K
10C 16T @ 3.7 GHz
5540
5540
Intel Core i7-960
4C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
1503
1503

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i5-12600K
10C 16T @ 3.7 GHz
2472
2472
Intel Core i7-960
4C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
610
610

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i5-12600K
10C 16T @ 3.7 GHz
1854
1854
Intel Core i7-960
4C 8T @ 3.2 GHz
576
576

Intel Core i7-960 and Intel Core i5-12600K in leaderboards