The Core i7-12700 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 $45.59 cheaper!
Advantages of the Core i7-12700
- At least 2x faster CPU for gaming
- Up to 14% cheaper – $277.97 vs $323.56
- A much better value for money for gaming
- Consumes up to 50% less energy – 65 vs 130 Watts
- Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously – 20 vs 12 threads
- Can run games without a dedicated GPU as it has integrated graphics
Advantages of the Core i7-3960X
The Core i7-12700 is better in every way
Core i7-12700 vs Core i7-3960X for Gaming
The CPU's performance in selected game and settings
Core i7-12700
Jan 4th, 2022
Average FPS
228
100%
Min 1% FPS
156
100%
Price, $
$277.97
100%
Value, $/FPS
$1.21/FPS
100%
Core i7-3960X
Nov 14th, 2011
Average FPS
191
84%
Min 1% FPS
134
86%
Price, $
$323.56
85%
Value, $/FPS
$1.69/FPS
72%
Core i7-12700 vs Core i7-3960X 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 i7-12700 vs Core i7-3960X in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i7-12700 vs Core i7-3960X in core CPU performance specifications
Core i7-12700
Jan 4th, 2022
Cores
12-core
100%
L3 Cache
25 MB
100%
Base Frequency
2.1 GHz
64%
Turbo Frequency
4.9 GHz
100%
Max. DDR5 RAM Speed
4800 MHz
100%
Core i7-3960X
Nov 14th, 2011
Cores
6-core
50%
L3 Cache
15 MB
60%
Base Frequency
3.3 GHz
100%
Turbo Frequency
3.9 GHz
80%
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
1600 MHz
33%
Specifications
Comparison of all specifications
Core i7-12700 | SpecificationsComparison of all specifications | Core i7-3960X |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
Jan 4th, 2022 | Release Date | Nov 14th, 2011 |
$349.00 | MSRP | $990.00 |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| Intel Socket 1700 | Socket | Intel Socket 2011 |
| Alder Lake-S | Codename | Sandy Bridge-E |
65 W | Power Consumption | 130 W |
| Performance | ||
12 | Cores | 6 |
20 | Threads | 12 |
| 2.1 GHz | Base Frequency | 3.3 GHz |
4.9 GHz | Turbo Frequency | 3.9 GHz |
25 MB | L3 Cache | 15 MB |
| Other Features | ||
| DDR4 @ 3200 MHz, DDR5 @ 4800 MHz | RAM | DDR3 @ 1600 MHz |
UHD Graphics 770 | Integrated Graphics | No |
| No | Overclockable | Yes |
