The Core i5-9600K is a clear winner – it's at least 2x faster gaming CPU than the Core i7-3960X and it's also a much better value for money, as it's $138.52 cheaper!
Advantages of the Core i5-9600K
- At least 2x faster CPU for gaming
- Up to 52% cheaper – $129.79 vs $268.31
- A much better value for money for gaming
- Consumes up to 27% less energy – 95 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
- Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously – 12 vs 6 threads
Core i5-9600K vs Core i7-3960X for Gaming
The CPU's performance in selected game and settings
Core i5-9600K
Oct 19th, 2018
Average FPS
192
100%
Min 1% FPS
127
100%
Price, $
$129.79
100%
Value, $/FPS
$0.67/FPS
100%
Core i7-3960X
Nov 14th, 2011
Average FPS
171
89%
Min 1% FPS
115
91%
Price, $
$268.31
48%
Value, $/FPS
$1.56/FPS
43%
Core i5-9600K 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 i5-9600K vs Core i7-3960X in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i5-9600K vs Core i7-3960X in core CPU performance specifications
Core i5-9600K
Oct 19th, 2018
Cores
6-core
100%
L3 Cache
9 MB
60%
Base Frequency
3.7 GHz
100%
Turbo Frequency
4.6 GHz
100%
Max. DDR4 RAM Speed
2666 MHz
100%
Core i7-3960X
Nov 14th, 2011
Cores
6-core
100%
L3 Cache
15 MB
100%
Base Frequency
3.3 GHz
89%
Turbo Frequency
3.9 GHz
85%
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
1600 MHz
60%
Specifications
Comparison of all specifications
Core i5-9600K | SpecificationsComparison of all specifications | Core i7-3960X |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
Oct 19th, 2018 | Release Date | Nov 14th, 2011 |
| Not Available | MSRP | $990.00 |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| Intel Socket 1151 | Socket | Intel Socket 2011 |
| Coffee Lake | Codename | Sandy Bridge E |
95 W | Power Consumption | 130 W |
| Performance | ||
| 6 | Cores | 6 |
| 6 | Threads | 12 |
3.7 GHz | Base Frequency | 3.3 GHz |
4.6 GHz | Turbo Frequency | 3.9 GHz |
| 9 MB | L3 Cache | 15 MB |
| Other Features | ||
| DDR4 @ 2666 MHz | RAM | DDR3 @ 1600 MHz |
UHD 630 | Integrated Graphics | No |
| Yes | Overclockable | Yes |
