Intel Core i7-980X vs Intel Pentium D 960

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i7-980X 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, 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 i7-980X

Intel Pentium D 960

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-980X

CPU is newer: launch date 3 year(s) 9 month(s) later
Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
4 more cores, run more applications at once: 6 vs 2
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 65 nm
13.7x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
Around 95% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1524 vs 782
8.5x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 6835 vs 807

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	March 2010 vs May 2006
Unlocked	Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores	6 vs 2
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 65 nm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core) vs 28 KB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1524 vs 782
PassMark - CPU mark	6835 vs 807

Reasons to consider the Intel Pentium D 960

2.7x 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 i7-980X
CPU 2: Intel Pentium D 960

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1524

782

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

6835

807

Name	Intel Core i7-980X	Intel Pentium D 960
PassMark - Single thread mark	1524	782
PassMark - CPU mark	6835	807
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	628
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3462
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	0
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	1.652
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	48.42
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.512
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	1.942
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	7.262

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i7-980X	Intel Pentium D 960
Essentials
Architecture codename	Gulftown	Presler
Launch date	March 2010	May 2006
Launch price (MSRP)	$959
Place in performance rating	2597	2601
Price now	$218.99
Processor Number	i7-980X	960
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	Legacy Intel® Pentium® Processor
Status	Discontinued	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	11.82
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	239 mm2	162 mm2
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	28 KB
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	4096 KB
L3 cache	12288 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 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	6	2
Number of QPI Links	1
Number of threads	12
Transistor count	1170 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 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)