Intel Core i3-2120 vs AMD Phenom II X4 960T BE

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i3-2120 and AMD Phenom II X4 960T BE processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. 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 - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

Intel Core i3-2120

AMD Phenom II X4 960T BE

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i3-2120

CPU is newer: launch date 8 month(s) later
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
Around 46% lower typical power consumption: 65 Watt vs 95 Watt
Around 16% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1510 vs 1300
Around 33% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 577 vs 435
2.6x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 35.45 vs 13.634
Around 1% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.227 vs 0.224
2.2x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s): 0.999 vs 0.457

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	February 2011 vs June 2010
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt vs 95 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1510 vs 1300
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	577 vs 435
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	35.45 vs 13.634
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.227 vs 0.224
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	0.999 vs 0.457

Reasons to consider the AMD Phenom II X4 960T BE

Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
2 more cores, run more applications at once: 4 vs 2
Around 3% higher clock speed: 3.4 GHz vs 3.3 GHz
Around 3% higher maximum core temperature: 71°C vs 69.1°C
4x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
4x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
2x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 21% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 2362 vs 1956
Around 7% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1359 vs 1265
62.5x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 4.563 vs 0.073
2.2x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 4.98 vs 2.296

Specifications (specs)
Unlocked	Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores	4 vs 2
Maximum frequency	3.4 GHz vs 3.3 GHz
Maximum core temperature	71°C vs 69.1°C
L1 cache	512 KB vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	2 MB vs 256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	6144 KB (shared) vs 3072 KB (shared)
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	2362 vs 1956
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1359 vs 1265
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	4.563 vs 0.073
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	4.98 vs 2.296

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i3-2120
CPU 2: AMD Phenom II X4 960T BE

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1510

1300

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1956

2362

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

577

435

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1265

1359

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.073

4.563

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

35.45

13.634

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

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.227

0.224

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.999

0.457

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

2.296

4.98

Name	Intel Core i3-2120	AMD Phenom II X4 960T BE
PassMark - Single thread mark	1510	1300
PassMark - CPU mark	1956	2362
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	577	435
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1265	1359
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	0
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	0.073	4.563
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	35.45	13.634
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.227	0.224
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	0.999	0.457
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	2.296	4.98

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i3-2120	AMD Phenom II X4 960T BE
Essentials
Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge	Zosma
Launch date	February 2011	June 2010
Launch price (MSRP)	$95
Place in performance rating	2894	2863
Price now	$30
Processor Number	i3-2120
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	AMD Phenom II X4 Black
Status	Launched
Value for money (0-100)	38.51
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Family		AMD Phenom
OPN PIB		HD96ZTWFGRBOX
OPN Tray		HD96ZTWFK4DGR
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.30 GHz	3 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI
Die size	131 mm	346 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	512 KB
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	2 MB
L3 cache	3072 KB (shared)	6144 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	69.1°C	71°C
Maximum frequency	3.3 GHz	3.4 GHz
Number of cores	2	4
Number of threads	4	4
Transistor count	504 million	904 million
Unlocked
Memory
Max memory channels	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	21 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066/1333	DDR3
Graphics
Device ID	0x102
Graphics base frequency	850 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency	1.10 GHz
Graphics max frequency	1.1 GHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Intel® InTru™ 3D technology
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Processor graphics	Intel® HD Graphics 2000
Graphics interfaces
Number of displays supported	2
Wireless Display (WiDi) support
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1155	AM3
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt	95 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	16
PCI Express revision	2.0
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Fast Memory Access
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)