Intel Core i7-960 vs Intel Core i7-860

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i7-960 and Intel Core i7-860 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization, Peripherals. 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 i7-960

Intel Core i7-860

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-960

CPU is newer: launch date 0 month(s) later
Around 50% higher maximum memory size: 24 GB vs 16 GB
Around 10% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1458 vs 1329
Around 12% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 3347 vs 2993
Around 11% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 565 vs 507
Around 16% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 2198 vs 1890
Around 17% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 1.115 vs 0.949
Around 19% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 59.327 vs 49.877
Around 20% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.374 vs 0.312
Around 19% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 4.942 vs 4.161

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	October 2009 vs September 2009
Maximum memory size	24 GB vs 16 GB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1458 vs 1329
PassMark - CPU mark	3347 vs 2993
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	565 vs 507
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2198 vs 1890
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	1.115 vs 0.949
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	59.327 vs 49.877
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.374 vs 0.312
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	4.942 vs 4.161

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-860

Around 7% higher maximum core temperature: 72.7°C vs 67.9°C
Around 37% lower typical power consumption: 95 Watt vs 130 Watt
3.8x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s): 1.485 vs 0.395

Specifications (specs)
Maximum core temperature	72.7°C vs 67.9°C
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	95 Watt vs 130 Watt
Benchmarks
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	1.485 vs 0.395

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i7-960
CPU 2: Intel Core i7-860

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1458

1329

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

3347

2993

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

565

507

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

2198

1890

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

1.115

0.949

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

CPU 1

CPU 2

59.327

49.877

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

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.374

0.312

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.395

1.485

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

4.942

4.161

Name	Intel Core i7-960	Intel Core i7-860
PassMark - Single thread mark	1458	1329
PassMark - CPU mark	3347	2993
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	565	507
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2198	1890
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	0	2296
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	1.115	0.949
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	59.327	49.877
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.374	0.312
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	0.395	1.485
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	4.942	4.161

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i7-960	Intel Core i7-860
Essentials
Architecture codename	Bloomfield	Lynnfield
Launch date	October 2009	September 2009
Launch price (MSRP)	$316	$229
Place in performance rating	2767	2753
Price now	$99.99	$289.95
Processor Number	i7-960	i7-860
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	17.14	5.09
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.20 GHz	2.80 GHz
Bus Speed	4.8 GT/s QPI	2.5 GT/s DMI
Die size	263 mm2	296 mm2
Front-side bus (FSB)	1333 MHz
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	8192 KB (shared)	8192 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	45 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	67.9°C	72.7°C
Maximum frequency	3.46 GHz	3.46 GHz
Number of cores	4	4
Number of QPI Links	1
Number of threads	8	8
Transistor count	731 million	774 million
VID voltage range	0.800V-1.375V	0.6500V-1.4000V
Memory
Max memory channels	3	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s	21 GB/s
Maximum memory size	24 GB	16 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 800/1066	DDR3 1066/1333
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	42.5mm x 45.0mm	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1366	LGA1156
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	130 Watt	95 Watt
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.2	Intel® SSE4.2
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)	36-bit	36-bit
Thermal Monitoring
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes		16
PCI Express revision		2.0
PCIe configurations		1x16, 2x8