The Core i7-3970X is the comparison's loser – it's at least 2x slower gaming CPU than the Core i5-12600 and it's also a much worse value for money, as it's $16.09 more expensive!
Advantages of the Core i7-3970X
The Core i5-12600 is better in every way
Advantages of the Core i5-12600
- At least 2x faster CPU for gaming
- Up to 10% cheaper – $143.24 vs $159.33
- A much better value for money for gaming
- Consumes up to 57% less energy – 65 vs 150 Watts
- Has an integrated GPU, while the Core i7-3970X cannot run games without a dedicated GPU
Core i7-3970X vs Core i5-12600 for Gaming
The CPU's performance in selected game and settings
Core i7-3970X
Nov 1st, 2012
Average FPS
172
83%
Min 1% FPS
115
85%
Price, €
€159.33
89%
Value, €/FPS
€0.92/FPS
75%
Core i5-12600
Jan 10th, 2022
Average FPS
207
100%
Min 1% FPS
136
100%
Price, €
€143.24
100%
Value, €/FPS
€0.69/FPS
100%
Core i7-3970X vs Core i5-12600 in My Games
The FPS you'll get in saved games
The FPS you'll get in saved games
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Synthetic Benchmarks
The Core i7-3970X vs Core i5-12600 in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i7-3970X vs Core i5-12600 in core CPU performance specifications
Core i7-3970X
Nov 1st, 2012
Cores
6-core
100%
L3 Cache
15 MB
83%
Base Frequency
3.5 GHz
100%
Turbo Frequency
4 GHz
83%
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
1600 MHz
33%
Core i5-12600
Jan 10th, 2022
Cores
6-core
100%
L3 Cache
18 MB
100%
Base Frequency
3.3 GHz
94%
Turbo Frequency
4.8 GHz
100%
Max. DDR5 RAM Speed
4800 MHz
100%
Specifications
Comparison of all specifications
Core i7-3970X | SpecificationsComparison of all specifications | Core i5-12600 |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Nov 1st, 2012 | Release Date | Jan 10th, 2022 |
| $990.00 | MSRP | $233.00 |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| Intel Socket 2011 | Socket | Intel Socket 1700 |
| Sandy Bridge E | Codename | Alder Lake |
| 150 W | Power Consumption | 65 W |
| Performance | ||
| 6 | Cores | 6 |
| 12 | Threads | 12 |
3.5 GHz | Base Frequency | 3.3 GHz |
| 4.0 GHz | Turbo Frequency | 4.8 GHz |
| 15 MB | L3 Cache | 18 MB |
| Other Features | ||
| DDR3 @ 1600 MHz | RAM | DDR4 @ 3200 MHz, DDR5 @ 4800 MHz |
| No | Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 770 |
Yes | Overclockable | No |
