Intel Core i7-970 vs Intel Core i7-6700K

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Core i7-970 or Intel Core i7-970 – 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 i7-970 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.
The Intel Core i7-6700K features 4 processor cores and has the capability to manage 8 threads concurrently.
It was released in Q3/2015 and belongs to the 6 generation of the Intel Core i7 series.
To use the Intel Core i7-6700K, you'll need a motherboard with a LGA 1151 socket.
Intel Core i7 900 Group Intel Core i 6000
1 Generation 6
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Core i7-970 Name Intel Core i7-6700K
Intel Core i7 Family Intel Core i7
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

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.
The Intel Core i7-6700K has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Core i7-6700K is 4.0 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 4.2 GHz.
12 Threads 8
6x Cores 4x
6 CPU Cores 4
normal Core architecture normal
Yes Hyperthreading Yes
No Overclocking Yes
3.46 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 4.2 GHz
3.2 GHz Frequency 4.0 GHz
None None 4.0 GHz
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Core i7-970 does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Core i7-6700K has integrated graphics, called iGPU for short.
Specifically, the Intel Core i7-6700K uses the Intel HD Graphics 530, which has 192 texture shaders
and 24 execution units.
The iGPU uses the system's main memory as graphics memory and sits on the processor's die.
-- Shaders 192
-- Release date Q3/2015
-- Technology 14 nm
-- Direct X 12
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 32.0 GB
-- Max. displays --
-- Execution units 24
-- GPU frequency 0.35 GHz
-- Generation 9
-- GPU (Turbo) 1.15 GHz
GPU name Intel HD Graphics 530
 
 

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 No
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) Decode / Encode
-- AVC Decode / Encode
-- h264 Decode / Encode
-- VP9 Decode
-- h265 / HEVC (10 bit) Decode
 
 

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 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.
pci PCIe pci
No AES-NI Yes
DDR3-1066 Memory type DDR4-2133, DDR3-1866
No ECC No
24.0 GB Max. Memory 64.0 GB
3 Memory channels 2
25.6 GB/s Bandwidth 34.1 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 91 W watts.
130 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 91 W
-- Tjunction max --
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Core i7-970 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 12.0 MB cache.
A substantial cache can significantly enhance the processor's performance, particularly in scenarios like gaming.
The Intel Core i7-6700K is manufactured using a 14 nm process.
In total, this processor boasts a generous 8.0 MB cache.
Q3/2010 Release date Q3/2015
VT-x, VT-x EPT Virtualization VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
SSE4.1, SSE4.2 ISA extensions SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX2
32 nm Technology 14 nm
Monolithic Chip design Monolithic
594 $ Release price 420 $
Gulftown Architecture Skylake S
12.0 MB L3-Cache 8.0 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 1366 Socket LGA 1151
1.5 MB L2-Cache 0 bytes
 
 

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-6700K
4C 8T @ 4.0 GHz
4665
4665
Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
2654
2654

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-6700K
4C 8T @ 4.0 GHz
4459
4459
Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
3263
3263

CPU-Z Benchmark 17 (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-6700K
4C 8T @ 4.0 GHz
2313
2313
Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
2209
2209

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-6700K
4C 8T @ 4.0 GHz
1347
1347
Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
620
620

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Core i7-6700K
4C 8T @ 4.0 GHz
1151
1151
Intel Core i7-970
6C 12T @ 3.2 GHz
582
582