Intel Core i7-975 vs Intel Pentium D 960

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i7-975 and Intel Pentium D 960 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, 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 i7-975

Intel Pentium D 960

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-975

CPU is newer: launch date 3 year(s) 1 month(s) later
Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
2 more cores, run more applications at once: 4 vs 2
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 45 nm vs 65 nm
9.1x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
Around 92% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1499 vs 782
4.3x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 3493 vs 807

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	June 2009 vs May 2006
Unlocked	Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores	4 vs 2
Manufacturing process technology	45 nm vs 65 nm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core) vs 28 KB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1499 vs 782
PassMark - CPU mark	3493 vs 807

Reasons to consider the Intel Pentium D 960

4x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later

L2 cache	4096 KB vs 256 KB (per core)
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	2 vs 1

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i7-975
CPU 2: Intel Pentium D 960

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1499

782

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

3493

807

Name	Intel Core i7-975	Intel Pentium D 960
PassMark - Single thread mark	1499	782
PassMark - CPU mark	3493	807
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	606
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2380
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	1.084
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	63.217
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.376
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	1.858
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	5.196

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i7-975	Intel Pentium D 960
Essentials
Architecture codename	Bloomfield	Presler
Launch date	June 2009	May 2006
Launch price (MSRP)	$476
Place in performance rating	2589	2591
Price now	$179.99
Processor Number	i7-975	960
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	Legacy Intel® Pentium® Processor
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	10.04
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.33 GHz	3.60 GHz
Bus Speed	6.4 GT/s QPI	800 MHz FSB
Die size	263 mm2	162 mm2
Front-side bus (FSB)	1333 MHz
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	28 KB
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	4096 KB
L3 cache	8192 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	45 nm	65 nm
Maximum core temperature	67.9°C	C1=68.6°C, D0=63.4°C
Maximum frequency	3.60 GHz	3.6 GHz
Number of cores	4	2
Number of QPI Links	1
Number of threads	8
Transistor count	731 million	376 million
Unlocked
VID voltage range	0.800V-1.375V	1.200V-1.3375V
Memory
Max memory channels	3
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s
Maximum memory size	24 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 800/1066	DDR1, DDR2, DDR3
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	2
Package Size	42.5mm x 45.0mm	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1366	PLGA775
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	130 Watt	130 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 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)	36-bit	32-bit
Thermal Monitoring
FSB parity
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)