Intel Core i7-3960X vs Intel Celeron E3500

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i7-3960X and Intel Celeron E3500 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, 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 i7-3960X

Intel Celeron E3500

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-3960X

CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 3 month(s) later
Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
4 more cores, run more applications at once: 6 vs 2
Around 44% higher clock speed: 3.90 GHz vs 2.7 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
3x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
Around 50% more L2 cache; more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 56% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1800 vs 1154
9x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 8446 vs 935

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	November 2011 vs August 2010
Unlocked	Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores	6 vs 2
Maximum frequency	3.90 GHz vs 2.7 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core) vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core) vs 1024 KB (shared)
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1800 vs 1154
PassMark - CPU mark	8446 vs 935

Reasons to consider the Intel Celeron E3500

Around 11% higher maximum core temperature: 74.1°C vs 66.8°C
2x lower typical power consumption: 65 Watt vs 130 Watt

Maximum core temperature	74.1°C vs 66.8°C
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt vs 130 Watt

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i7-3960X
CPU 2: Intel Celeron E3500

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1800

1154

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

8446

935

Name	Intel Core i7-3960X	Intel Celeron E3500
PassMark - Single thread mark	1800	1154
PassMark - CPU mark	8446	935
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	821
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	4933
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	5484
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 - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.727
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	2.924
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	7.797

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i7-3960X	Intel Celeron E3500
Essentials
Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge E	Wolfdale
Launch date	November 2011	August 2010
Launch price (MSRP)	$861	$62
Place in performance rating	2117	2119
Price now	$799.99	$31
Processor Number	i7-3960X	E3500
Series	Intel® Core™ X-series Processors	Legacy Intel® Celeron® Processor
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	4.64	13.80
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.30 GHz	2.70 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI2	800 MHz FSB
Die size	435 mm	82 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	1024 KB (shared)
L3 cache	15360 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	45 nm
Maximum case temperature (TCase)	67 °C
Maximum core temperature	66.8°C	74.1°C
Maximum frequency	3.90 GHz	2.7 GHz
Number of cores	6	2
Number of threads	12
Transistor count	2270 million	228 million
Unlocked
VID voltage range	0.6V-1.35V	0.8500V-1.3625V
Memory
Max memory channels	4
Maximum memory bandwidth	51.2 GB/s
Maximum memory size	64 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066/1333/1600	DDR1, DDR2, DDR3
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	52.5mm x 45.0mm	37.5mm X 37.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA2011	LGA775
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	130 Watt	65 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	40
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
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX	Intel® SSE2, Intel® SSE3, Intel® SSSE3
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
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)