The Core i3-2120 is a slower gaming CPU than the Core i7-3960X, however, it's a slightly better value for money, as it's $74.02 cheaper!
Advantages of the Core i3-2120
- Up to 27% cheaper – $197.39 vs $271.41
- A slightly better value for money for gaming
- Consumes up to 50% less energy – 65 vs 130 Watts
- Has an integrated GPU, while the Core i7-3960X cannot run games without a dedicated GPU
Advantages of the Core i7-3960X
- A much faster CPU for gaming
- Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously – 12 vs 4 threads
Core i3-2120 vs Core i7-3960X for Gaming
The CPU's performance in selected game and settings
Core i3-2120
Feb 20th, 2011
Average FPS
168
98%
Min 1% FPS
113
98%
Price, $
$197.39
100%
Value, $/FPS
$1.17/FPS
100%
Core i7-3960X
Nov 14th, 2011
Average FPS
171
100%
Min 1% FPS
115
100%
Price, $
$271.41
72%
Value, $/FPS
$1.58/FPS
74%
Core i3-2120 vs Core i7-3960X 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 i3-2120 vs Core i7-3960X in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i3-2120 vs Core i7-3960X in core CPU performance specifications
Core i3-2120
Feb 20th, 2011
Cores
2-core
33%
L3 Cache
3 MB
20%
Base Frequency
3.3 GHz
100%
Turbo Frequency
GHz
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
1333 MHz
83%
Core i7-3960X
Nov 14th, 2011
Cores
6-core
100%
L3 Cache
15 MB
100%
Base Frequency
3.3 GHz
100%
Turbo Frequency
3.9 GHz
100%
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
1600 MHz
100%
Specifications
Comparison of all specifications
Core i3-2120 | SpecificationsComparison of all specifications | Core i7-3960X |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Feb 20th, 2011 | Release Date | Nov 14th, 2011 |
$138.00 | MSRP | $990.00 |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| Intel Socket 1155 | Socket | Intel Socket 2011 |
| Sandy Bridge | Codename | Sandy Bridge E |
65 W | Power Consumption | 130 W |
| Performance | ||
| 2 | Cores | 6 |
| 4 | Threads | 12 |
| 3.3 GHz | Base Frequency | 3.3 GHz |
| Non-Turbo | Turbo Frequency | 3.9 GHz |
| 3 MB | L3 Cache | 15 MB |
| Other Features | ||
| DDR3 @ 1333 MHz | RAM | DDR3 @ 1600 MHz |
Intel HD 2000 | Integrated Graphics | No |
| No | Overclockable | Yes |
