The Core i5-8600K is a clear winner – it's at least 2x faster gaming CPU than the Core i7-3970X and it's also a better value for money, as it's only $157.00 more expensive!
Advantages of the Core i5-8600K
- At least 2x faster CPU for gaming
- A better value for money for gaming
- Consumes up to 37% less energy – 95 vs 150 Watts
- Can run games without a dedicated GPU as it has integrated graphics
Advantages of the Core i7-3970X
- Up to 47% cheaper – $175.00 vs $332.00
- Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously – 12 vs 6 threads
Core i5-8600K vs Core i7-3970X for Gaming
The CPU's performance in selected game and settings
Core i5-8600K
Oct 5th, 2017
Average FPS
190
100%
Min 1% FPS
125
100%
Price, $
$332
52%
Value, $/FPS
$1.74/FPS
58%
Core i7-3970X
Nov 1st, 2012
Average FPS
172
91%
Min 1% FPS
115
92%
Price, $
$175
100%
Value, $/FPS
$1.01/FPS
100%
Core i5-8600K vs Core i7-3970X in My Games
The FPS you'll get in saved games, click on a game to change it
The FPS you'll get in saved games, click on a game to change it
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Synthetic Benchmarks
The Core i5-8600K vs Core i7-3970X in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i5-8600K vs Core i7-3970X in core CPU performance specifications
Core i5-8600K
Oct 5th, 2017
Cores
6-core
100%
L3 Cache
9 MB
60%
Base Frequency
3.6 GHz
100%
Turbo Frequency
4.3 GHz
100%
Max. DDR4 RAM Speed
2666 MHz
100%
Core i7-3970X
Nov 1st, 2012
Cores
6-core
100%
L3 Cache
15 MB
100%
Base Frequency
3.5 GHz
97%
Turbo Frequency
4 GHz
93%
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
1600 MHz
60%
Specifications
Comparison of all specifications
Core i5-8600K | SpecificationsComparison of all specifications | Core i7-3970X |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
Oct 5th, 2017 | Release Date | Nov 1st, 2012 |
$257.00 | MSRP | $990.00 |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| Intel Socket 1151 | Socket | Intel Socket 2011 |
| Coffee Lake | Codename | Sandy Bridge E |
95 W | Power Consumption | 150 W |
| Performance | ||
| 6 | Cores | 6 |
| 6 | Threads | 12 |
3.6 GHz | Base Frequency | 3.5 GHz |
4.3 GHz | Turbo Frequency | 4.0 GHz |
| 9 MB | L3 Cache | 15 MB |
| Other Features | ||
| DDR4 @ 2666 MHz | RAM | DDR3 @ 1600 MHz |
UHD Graphics 630 | Integrated Graphics | No |
| Yes | Overclockable | Yes |
