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Core i7-3970X vs Core i7-12700K

Core i7-3970X vs Core i7-12700K: game performance, price, value, and specification comparison. Select comparison game parameters.

Core i7-3970X

3.5 GHz | 6-core

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition i7-3970X 3.5GHz 5.0GT/s 15MB LGA2011 Processor Without -fan, Retail BX80619I73970X

Buy for $176.86 on Amazon

In Stock

Updated 6892 minutes ago

vs
FPS Winner

Core i7-12700K

3.6 GHz | 12-core

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Intel Core i7-12700K Gaming Desktop Processor with Integrated Graphics and 12 (8P+4E) Cores up to 5.0 GHz Unlocked LGA1700 600 Series Chipset 125W

Buy for $195 on Amazon

In Stock

Updated 6892 minutes ago

Core i7-3970X

3.5 GHz | 6-core

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition i7-3970X 3.5GHz 5.0GT/s 15MB LGA2011 Processor Without -fan, Retail BX80619I73970X

Buy for $176.86 on Amazon

In Stock

Updated 6892 minutes ago

vs
FPS Winner

Core i7-12700K

3.6 GHz | 12-core

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Intel Core i7-12700K Gaming Desktop Processor with Integrated Graphics and 12 (8P+4E) Cores up to 5.0 GHz Unlocked LGA1700 600 Series Chipset 125W

Buy for $195 on Amazon

In Stock

Updated 6892 minutes ago

Key Differences

In short, we have a clear winner — Core i7-12700K outperforms the cheaper Core i7-3970X on the selected game parameters, and is also a better bang for your buck! The better performing Core i7-12700K is 3290 days newer than the cheaper Core i7-3970X.

Advantages of Core i7-3970X

  • Up to 9% cheaper than Core i7-12700K - $176.86 vs $195.00

Advantages of Core i7-12700K

  • Performs up to 22% better in Borderlands 3 than Core i7-3970X - 247 vs 202 FPS
  • Up to 10% better value when playing Borderlands 3 than Core i7-3970X - $0.79 vs $0.88 per FPS
  • Consumes up to 17% less energy than Intel Core i7-3970X - 125 vs 150 Watts
  • Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously than Intel Core i7-3970X - 20 vs 12 threads
  • Works without a dedicated GPU, while Intel Core i7-3970X doesn't have integrated graphics
Calculator background
This is a free version of Borderlands 3.
Borderlands 3

Borderlands 3

Resolution

1920 x 1080

Game Graphics

Badass

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

Desktop • Nov 1st, 2012


FPS

202

82%

Value, $/FPS

$0.88/FPS

90%

Price, $

$176.86

100%

Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition i7-3970X 3.5GHz 5.0GT/s 15MB LGA2011 Processor Without -fan, Retail BX80619I73970X

Buy for $176.86 on Amazon

In Stock

Updated 6892 minutes ago

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

Desktop • Nov 4th, 2021


FPS

247

100%

Value, $/FPS

$0.79/FPS

100%

Price, $

$195

90%

FPS and Value Winner

Intel Core i7-12700K Gaming Desktop Processor with Integrated Graphics and 12 (8P+4E) Cores up to 5.0 GHz Unlocked LGA1700 600 Series Chipset 125W

Buy for $195 on Amazon

In Stock

Updated 6892 minutes ago

My Games

With selected game settings

Resolution

1920 x 1080

Game Graphics

Badass

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

Desktop • Nov 1st, 2012

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

Desktop • Nov 4th, 2021

Geekbench 5 Benchmarks

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

Desktop • Nov 1st, 2012


Single-Core

648

26%

Multi-Core

3305

24%

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

Desktop • Nov 4th, 2021


Single-Core

2531

100%

Multi-Core

13694

100%

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo

Core i7-3970X

vs
Intel Core i7-12700K Logo

Core i7-12700K

Nov 1st, 2012
Nov 4th, 2021
Core i7Core i7
Sandy Bridge EAlder Lake
Intel Socket 2011Intel Socket 1700
Desktop
Desktop
6
12
12
20
3.5 GHz
3.6 GHz
4.0 GHz
5.0 GHz
150 W
125 W
32 nm
10 nm
35.0x
36.0x
None
UHD Graphics 770
YesYes

PCs Using Core i7-3970X or Core i7-12700K

With selected game settings

Popular Core i7-3970X and Core i7-12700K Comparisons

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$115.73

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$127

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$495.36

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$195

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$294.95

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
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$195

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Intel Core i9-12900K Logo
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$279

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
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$195

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$343.99

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
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Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
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$195

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Ryzen 7 5700G

$172

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

$195

vs
Intel Core i5-13400F Logo
Core i5-13400F

$849.99

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

$195

vs
Intel Core i5-12600KF Logo
Core i5-12600KF

$143.81

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

$195

vs
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X Logo
Ryzen 7 3700X

$126.99

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

$195

vs
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Ryzen 5 5600GT

$130

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

$195

vs
Intel Core i5-12600K Logo
Core i5-12600K

$173

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

$195

vs
Intel Core i7-13700K Logo
Core i7-13700K

$310

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

$195

vs
Intel Core i9-14900KF Logo
Core i9-14900KF

$416.96

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

$195

vs
Intel Core i7-14700F Logo
Core i7-14700F

$273.18

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

$195

vs
Intel Core i7-14700KF Logo
Core i7-14700KF

$319.99

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

$195

vs
Intel Core i3-12100F Logo
Core i3-12100F

$76.8

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

$195

vs
AMD Ryzen 7 8700G Logo
Ryzen 7 8700G

$255

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

$195

vs
Intel Core i9-14900K Logo
Core i9-14900K

$433

Intel Core i7-12700K Logo
Core i7-12700K

$195

vs
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D Logo
Ryzen 9 7950X3D

$744.95

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 5 7600X Logo
Ryzen 5 7600X

$199.99

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Logo
Ryzen 5 5600X

$119.89

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 7 7700X Logo
Ryzen 7 7700X

$278.95

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 7 5700X Logo
Ryzen 7 5700X

$144.32

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 5 5500 Logo
Ryzen 5 5500

$83.35

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 5 7600 Logo
Ryzen 5 7600

$185

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D Logo
Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 7 5800X Logo
Ryzen 7 5800X

$175.95

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
Intel Core i7-14700K Logo
Core i7-14700K

$328.95

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 9 7900X Logo
Ryzen 9 7900X

$378.72

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 5 5600 Logo
Ryzen 5 5600

$115.73

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 7 5700 Logo
Ryzen 7 5700

$127

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 9 7950X Logo
Ryzen 9 7950X

$495.36

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X Logo
Ryzen 9 5900X

$294.95

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
Intel Core i9-12900K Logo
Core i9-12900K

$279

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 9 5950X Logo
Ryzen 9 5950X

$343.99

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 7 5700X3D Logo
Ryzen 7 5700X3D
Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 7 5700G Logo
Ryzen 7 5700G

$172

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
Intel Core i5-13400F Logo
Core i5-13400F

$849.99

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
Intel Core i5-12600KF Logo
Core i5-12600KF

$143.81

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 7 3700X Logo
Ryzen 7 3700X

$126.99

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 5 5600GT Logo
Ryzen 5 5600GT

$130

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
Intel Core i5-12600K Logo
Core i5-12600K

$173

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
Intel Core i7-13700K Logo
Core i7-13700K

$310

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
Intel Core i9-14900KF Logo
Core i9-14900KF

$416.96

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
Intel Core i7-14700F Logo
Core i7-14700F

$273.18

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
Intel Core i7-14700KF Logo
Core i7-14700KF

$319.99

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
Intel Core i3-12100F Logo
Core i3-12100F

$76.8

Intel Core i7-3970X Logo
Core i7-3970X

$176.86

vs
AMD Ryzen 7 8700G Logo
Ryzen 7 8700G

$255

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