The Core i7-3970X is the comparison's loser – it's at least 2x slower gaming CPU than the Core i7-6700K and it's also a much worse value for money, as it's $39.46 more expensive!
Advantages of the Core i7-3970X
- Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously – 12 vs 8 threads
Advantages of the Core i7-6700K
- At least 2x faster CPU for gaming
- Up to 22% cheaper – $137.40 vs $176.86
- A much better value for money for gaming
- Consumes up to 39% less energy – 91 vs 150 Watts
- Has an integrated GPU, while the Core i7-3970X cannot run games without a dedicated GPU
Core i7-3970X vs Core i7-6700K for Gaming
The CPU's performance in selected game and settings
Core i7-3970X
Nov 1st, 2012
Average FPS
172
91%
Min 1% FPS
115
93%
Price, $
$176.86
77%
Value, $/FPS
$1.02/FPS
72%
Core i7-6700K
Aug 5th, 2015
Average FPS
188
100%
Min 1% FPS
124
100%
Price, $
$137.4
100%
Value, $/FPS
$0.73/FPS
100%
Core i7-3970X vs Core i7-6700K 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 i7-3970X vs Core i7-6700K in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i7-3970X vs Core i7-6700K in core CPU performance specifications
Core i7-3970X
Nov 1st, 2012
Cores
6-core
100%
L3 Cache
15 MB
100%
Base Frequency
3.5 GHz
88%
Turbo Frequency
4 GHz
95%
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
1600 MHz
75%
Core i7-6700K
Aug 5th, 2015
Cores
4-core
67%
L3 Cache
8 MB
53%
Base Frequency
4 GHz
100%
Turbo Frequency
4.2 GHz
100%
Max. DDR4 RAM Speed
2133 MHz
100%
Specifications
Comparison of all specifications
Core i7-3970X | SpecificationsComparison of all specifications | Core i7-6700K |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Nov 1st, 2012 | Release Date | Aug 5th, 2015 |
| $990.00 | MSRP | $339.00 |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| Intel Socket 2011 | Socket | Intel Socket 1151 |
| Sandy Bridge E | Codename | Skylake |
| 150 W | Power Consumption | 91 W |
| Performance | ||
6 | Cores | 4 |
12 | Threads | 8 |
| 3.5 GHz | Base Frequency | 4.0 GHz |
| 4.0 GHz | Turbo Frequency | 4.2 GHz |
15 MB | L3 Cache | 8 MB |
| Other Features | ||
| DDR3 @ 1600 MHz | RAM | DDR3 @ 2133 MHz, DDR4 @ 2133 MHz |
| No | Integrated Graphics | HD Graphics 530 |
| Yes | Overclockable | Yes |
