The Core i7-3960X is the comparison's loser – it's at least 2x slower gaming CPU than the Core i5-9600K and it's also a much worse value for money, as it's $141.59 more expensive!
Advantages of the Core i7-3960X
- Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously – 12 vs 6 threads
Advantages of the Core i5-9600K
- At least 2x faster CPU for gaming
- Up to 52% cheaper – $129.78 vs $271.37
- 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
Core i7-3960X vs Core i5-9600K for Gaming
The CPU's performance in selected game and settings
Core i7-3960X
Nov 14th, 2011
Average FPS
171
89%
Min 1% FPS
115
91%
Price, $
$271.37
47%
Value, $/FPS
$1.58/FPS
42%
Core i5-9600K
Oct 19th, 2018
Average FPS
192
100%
Min 1% FPS
127
100%
Price, $
$129.78
100%
Value, $/FPS
$0.67/FPS
100%
Core i7-3960X vs Core i5-9600K 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 i7-3960X vs Core i5-9600K in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i7-3960X vs Core i5-9600K in core CPU performance specifications
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%
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%
Specifications
Comparison of all specifications
Core i7-3960X | SpecificationsComparison of all specifications | Core i5-9600K |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Nov 14th, 2011 | Release Date | Oct 19th, 2018 |
| $990.00 | MSRP | Not Available |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| Intel Socket 2011 | Socket | Intel Socket 1151 |
| Sandy Bridge E | Codename | Coffee Lake |
| 130 W | Power Consumption | 95 W |
| Performance | ||
| 6 | Cores | 6 |
12 | Threads | 6 |
| 3.3 GHz | Base Frequency | 3.7 GHz |
| 3.9 GHz | Turbo Frequency | 4.6 GHz |
15 MB | L3 Cache | 9 MB |
| Other Features | ||
| DDR3 @ 1600 MHz | RAM | DDR4 @ 2666 MHz |
| No | Integrated Graphics | UHD 630 |
| Yes | Overclockable | Yes |
