The Core i7-3970X is the comparison's loser – it's at least 2x slower gaming CPU than the Core i9-12900 and it's also a worse value for money, as it's only $235.14 cheaper!
Advantages of the Core i7-3970X
- Up to 57% cheaper – $176.86 vs $412.00
Advantages of the Core i9-12900
- At least 2x faster CPU for gaming
- A better value for money for gaming
- Consumes up to 57% less energy – 65 vs 150 Watts
- Can execute more multi-threaded tasks simultaneously – 24 vs 12 threads
- Can run games without a dedicated GPU as it has integrated graphics
Core i7-3970X vs Core i9-12900 for Gaming
The CPU's performance in selected game and settings
Core i7-3970X
Nov 1st, 2012
Average FPS
172
82%
Min 1% FPS
115
83%
Price, $
$176.86
100%
Value, $/FPS
$1.02/FPS
100%
Core i9-12900
Jan 4th, 2022
Average FPS
210
100%
Min 1% FPS
138
100%
Price, $
$412
42%
Value, $/FPS
$1.96/FPS
52%
Core i7-3970X vs Core i9-12900 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 i7-3970X vs Core i9-12900 in synthetic CPU benchmarks
Performance Specifications
The Core i7-3970X vs Core i9-12900 in core CPU performance specifications
Core i7-3970X
Nov 1st, 2012
Cores
6-core
38%
L3 Cache
15 MB
50%
Base Frequency
3.5 GHz
100%
Turbo Frequency
4 GHz
78%
Max. DDR3 RAM Speed
1600 MHz
33%
Core i9-12900
Jan 4th, 2022
Cores
16-core
100%
L3 Cache
30 MB
100%
Base Frequency
2.4 GHz
69%
Turbo Frequency
5.1 GHz
100%
Max. DDR5 RAM Speed
4800 MHz
100%
Specifications
Comparison of all specifications
Core i7-3970X | SpecificationsComparison of all specifications | Core i9-12900 |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Nov 1st, 2012 | Release Date | Jan 4th, 2022 |
| $990.00 | MSRP | $519.00 |
Desktop | Segment | Desktop |
| Intel Socket 2011 | Socket | Intel Socket 1700 |
| Sandy Bridge E | Codename | Alder Lake |
| 150 W | Power Consumption | 65 W |
| Performance | ||
| 6 | Cores | 16 |
| 12 | Threads | 24 |
3.5 GHz | Base Frequency | 2.4 GHz |
| 4.0 GHz | Turbo Frequency | 5.1 GHz |
| 15 MB | L3 Cache | 30 MB |
| Other Features | ||
| DDR3 @ 1600 MHz | RAM | DDR4 @ 3200 MHz, DDR5 @ 4800 MHz |
| No | Integrated Graphics | UHD Graphics 770 |
| Yes | Overclockable | Yes |
