AMD Ryzen 3 1200 vs Intel Core i7-3960X

Comparative analysis of AMD Ryzen 3 1200 and Intel Core i7-3960X processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, Peripherals, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization, Security & Reliability. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s).

AMD Ryzen 3 1200

Intel Core i7-3960X

Differences

Reasons to consider the AMD Ryzen 3 1200

CPU is newer: launch date 5 year(s) 8 month(s) later
Around 42% higher maximum core temperature: 95°C vs 66.8°C
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 14 nm vs 32 nm
Around 33% more L2 cache; more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
2x lower typical power consumption: 65 Watt vs 130 Watt
Around 7% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1930 vs 1801

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	27 July 2017 vs November 2011
Maximum core temperature	95°C vs 66.8°C
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm vs 32 nm
L2 cache	2 MB vs 256 KB (per core)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt vs 130 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1930 vs 1801

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-3960X

2 more cores, run more applications at once: 6 vs 4
8 more threads: 12 vs 4
Around 15% higher clock speed: 3.90 GHz vs 3.4 GHz
Around 88% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 35% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 8460 vs 6283
Around 2% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 821 vs 802
Around 91% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 4933 vs 2576
2x better performance in 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score: 5484 vs 2730
Around 60% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.727 vs 0.454
Around 27% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 7.797 vs 6.131

Specifications (specs)
Number of cores	6 vs 4
Number of threads	12 vs 4
Maximum frequency	3.90 GHz vs 3.4 GHz
L3 cache	15360 KB (shared) vs 8 MB
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	8460 vs 6283
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	821 vs 802
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	4933 vs 2576
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	5484 vs 2730
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.727 vs 0.454
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	7.797 vs 6.131

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: AMD Ryzen 3 1200
CPU 2: Intel Core i7-3960X

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1930

1801

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

6283

8460

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

802

821

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

2576

4933

3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score

CPU 1

CPU 2

2730

5484

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.454

0.727

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

6.131

7.797

Name	AMD Ryzen 3 1200	Intel Core i7-3960X
PassMark - Single thread mark	1930	1801
PassMark - CPU mark	6283	8460
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	802	821
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2576	4933
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	2730	5484
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.454	0.727
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	6.131	7.797
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)		6.358
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)		27.376
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)		2.924

Compare specifications (specs)

	AMD Ryzen 3 1200	Intel Core i7-3960X
Essentials
Architecture codename	Zen	Sandy Bridge E
Family	AMD Ryzen Processors
Launch date	27 July 2017	November 2011
Launch price (MSRP)	$110	$861
OPN PIB	YD1200BBAEBOX
OPN Tray	YD1200BBM4KAE
OS Support	Windows 10 - 64-Bit Edition, RHEL x86 64-Bit, Ubuntu x86 64-Bit
Place in performance rating	2075	2065
Price now	$102.98	$799.99
Series	AMD Ryzen 3 Desktop Processors	Intel® Core™ X-series Processors
Value for money (0-100)	19.32	4.64
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Processor Number		i7-3960X
Status		Discontinued
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.1 GHz	3.30 GHz
Die size	192 mm	435 mm
L1 cache	384 KB	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	2 MB	256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	8 MB	15360 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm	32 nm
Maximum core temperature	95°C	66.8°C
Maximum frequency	3.4 GHz	3.90 GHz
Number of cores	4	6
Number of threads	4	12
Transistor count	4800 Million	2270 million
Unlocked
Bus Speed		5 GT/s DMI2
Maximum case temperature (TCase)		67 °C
VID voltage range		0.6V-1.35V
Memory
Max memory channels	2	4
Supported memory frequency	2667 MHz
Supported memory types	DDR4	DDR3 1066/1333/1600
Maximum memory bandwidth		51.2 GB/s
Maximum memory size		64 GB
Compatibility
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Sockets supported	AM4	FCLGA2011
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt	130 Watt
Thermal Solution	Wraith Stealth
Low Halogen Options Available
Package Size		52.5mm x 45.0mm
Peripherals
PCI Express revision	3.0 x16	2.0
Max number of PCIe lanes		40
Advanced Technologies
AMD SenseMI
AMD VR Ready Processors
Enmotus FuzeDrive
Extended Frequency Range (XFR)
Fused Multiply-Add 3 (FMA3)
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions 2 (AVX2)
The "Zen" Core Architecture
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions		Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Smart Response technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)