Intel Xeon E3-1230 v3 vs Intel Core i7-3960X

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CPU comparison with benchmarks

-VS-

CPU lineage

Intel Xeon E3-1230 v3 or Intel Xeon E3-1230 v3 – 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 Xeon E3-1230 v3 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 Xeon E3 series.
To use the Intel Xeon E3-1230 v3, 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 Xeon E3 v3 Group Intel Core i 3000X
4 Generation 3
Desktop / Server Segment Desktop / Server
Intel Xeon E3-1230 v3 Name Intel Core i7-3960X
Intel Xeon E3 Family Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition
 
 

CPU Cores and Base Frequency

The Intel Xeon E3-1230 v3 has 4 CPU cores and can calculate 8 threads in parallel.
The clock frequency of the Intel Xeon E3-1230 v3 is 3.3 GHz
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.7 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
and turbo frequency for one core is 3.9 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
No Overclocking Yes
3.7 GHz Turbo Frequency (1 core) 3.9 GHz
3.3 GHz Frequency 3.3 GHz
3.7 GHz Turbo Frequency (all cores) 3.9 GHz
 
 

Internal Graphics

The Intel Xeon E3-1230 v3 does not have integrated graphics.
The Intel Core i7-3960X does not have integrated graphics.
-- Shaders --
-- Release date --
-- Technology --
-- Direct X --
0 bytes Max. GPU Memory 0 bytes
-- Max. displays --
-- Execution units --
-- GPU frequency --
-- Generation --
-- GPU (Turbo) --
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.
-- VP8 --
-- VC-1 --
-- JPEG --
-- AV1 --
-- h265 / HEVC (8 bit) --
-- AVC --
-- h264 --
-- VP9 --
-- 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
Yes 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 80 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.
80 W TDP (PL1 / PBP) 130 W
-- Tjunction max --
 
 

Technical details

The Intel Xeon E3-1230 v3 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
210 $ 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 Xeon E3-1230 v3
4C 8T @ 3.3 GHz
13125
13125

Geekbench 5, 64bit (Multi-Core)

Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
4973
4973
Intel Xeon E3-1230 v3
4C 8T @ 3.3 GHz
3754
3754

Geekbench 6 (Multi-Core)

Intel Xeon E3-1230 v3
4C 8T @ 3.3 GHz
4108
4108
Intel Core i7-3960X
6C 12T @ 3.3 GHz
3488
3488

Geekbench 3, 64bit (Single-Core)

Intel Xeon E3-1230 v3
4C 8T @ 3.3 GHz
3460
3460
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 Xeon E3-1230 v3
4C 8T @ 3.3 GHz
1899
1899

Geekbench 6 (Single-Core)

Intel Xeon E3-1230 v3
4C 8T @ 3.3 GHz
1217
1217
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 Xeon E3-1230 v3
4C 8T @ 3.3 GHz
722
722