The Core i7-3970X is at least 2x slower gaming CPU than the Core i9-10900K, however, it's a slightly better value for money, as it's $313.13 cheaper!
Advantages of the Core i7-3970X
- Up to 64% cheaper – $176.86 vs $489.99
- A slightly better value for money for gaming
Advantages of the Core i9-10900K
- At least 2x faster CPU for gaming
- Consumes up to 17% less energy – 125 vs 150 Watts
- Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously – 20 vs 12 threads
- Can run games without a dedicated GPU as it has integrated graphics
Core i7-3970X vs Core i9-10900K for Gaming
The CPU's performance in selected game and settings
Core i7-3970X
Nov 1st, 2012
Average FPS
172
89%
Min 1% FPS
115
90%
Price, $
$176.86
100%
Value, $/FPS
$1.02/FPS
100%
Core i9-10900K
Apr 30th, 2020
Average FPS
194
100%
Min 1% FPS
128
100%
Price, $
$489.99
36%
Value, $/FPS
$2.52/FPS
40%
Core i7-3970X vs Core i9-10900K 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
Add a Game
Select Settings
Synthetic Benchmarks
The Core i7-3970X vs Core i9-10900K in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i7-3970X vs Core i9-10900K in core CPU performance specifications
Core i7-3970X
Nov 1st, 2012
Cores
6-core
60%
L3 Cache
15 MB
75%
Base Frequency
3.5 GHz
95%
Turbo Frequency
4 GHz
75%
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
1600 MHz
55%
Core i9-10900K
Apr 30th, 2020
Cores
10-core
100%
L3 Cache
20 MB
100%
Base Frequency
3.7 GHz
100%
Turbo Frequency
5.3 GHz
100%
Max. DDR4 RAM Speed
2933 MHz
100%
Specifications
Comparison of all specifications
Core i7-3970X | SpecificationsComparison of all specifications | Core i9-10900K |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Nov 1st, 2012 | Release Date | Apr 30th, 2020 |
| $990.00 | MSRP | $547.00 |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| Intel Socket 2011 | Socket | Intel Socket 1200 |
| Sandy Bridge E | Codename | Comet Lake |
| 150 W | Power Consumption | 125 W |
| Performance | ||
| 6 | Cores | 10 |
| 12 | Threads | 20 |
| 3.5 GHz | Base Frequency | 3.7 GHz |
| 4.0 GHz | Turbo Frequency | 5.3 GHz |
| 15 MB | L3 Cache | 20 MB |
| Other Features | ||
| DDR3 @ 1600 MHz | RAM | DDR4 @ 2933 MHz |
| No | Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 630 |
| Yes | Overclockable | Yes |
