Intel Pentium G3420 vs Intel Core i7-980

Comparative analysis of Intel Pentium G3420 and Intel Core i7-980 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Graphics image quality, Graphics API support, 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), GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames), GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Fps), GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Fps), GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps).

Intel Pentium G3420

Intel Core i7-980

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Pentium G3420

CPU is newer: launch date 2 year(s) 3 month(s) later
Around 5% higher maximum core temperature: 72°C vs 68.8°C
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 22 nm vs 32 nm
Around 33% higher maximum memory size: 32 GB vs 24 GB
2.5x lower typical power consumption: 53 Watt vs 130 Watt
Around 14% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1753 vs 1539
2x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s): 6.906 vs 3.445

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	September 2013 vs June 2011
Maximum core temperature	72°C vs 68.8°C
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm vs 32 nm
Maximum memory size	32 GB vs 24 GB
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	53 Watt vs 130 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1753 vs 1539
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	6.906 vs 3.445

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-980

4 more cores, run more applications at once: 6 vs 2
10 more threads: 12 vs 2
Around 13% higher clock speed: 3.60 GHz vs 3.2 GHz
3x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
3x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
4x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
3.6x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 6936 vs 1933
4.6x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 18.942 vs 4.144
Around 80% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 111.484 vs 61.915
Around 10% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.821 vs 0.748
3.1x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 19.686 vs 6.386

Specifications (specs)
Number of cores	6 vs 2
Number of threads	12 vs 2
Maximum frequency	3.60 GHz vs 3.2 GHz
L1 cache	64 KB (per core) vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core) vs 256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	12288 KB (shared) vs 3072 KB (shared)
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	6936 vs 1933
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	18.942 vs 4.144
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	111.484 vs 61.915
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.821 vs 0.748
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	19.686 vs 6.386

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Pentium G3420
CPU 2: Intel Core i7-980

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1753

1539

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1933

6936

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

4.144

18.942

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

CPU 1

CPU 2

61.915

111.484

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

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.748

0.821

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

6.906

3.445

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

6.386

19.686

Name	Intel Pentium G3420	Intel Core i7-980
PassMark - Single thread mark	1753	1539
PassMark - CPU mark	1933	6936
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	653
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1221
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	0
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	4.144	18.942
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	61.915	111.484
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.748	0.821
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	6.906	3.445
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	6.386	19.686
GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Frames)	652
GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Frames)	2589
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Frames)	3053
GFXBench 4.0 - Car Chase Offscreen (Fps)	652
GFXBench 4.0 - Manhattan (Fps)	2589
GFXBench 4.0 - T-Rex (Fps)	3053

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Pentium G3420	Intel Core i7-980
Essentials
Architecture codename	Haswell	Gulftown
Launch date	September 2013	June 2011
Launch price (MSRP)	$252	$1,109
Place in performance rating	1865	1839
Price now	$109.99	$198.99
Processor Number	G3420	i7-980
Series	Intel® Pentium® Processor G Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Launched	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	9.12	12.83
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.20 GHz	3.33 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI2	4.8 GT/s QPI
Die size	177 mm	239 mm2
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	3072 KB (shared)	12288 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	32 nm
Maximum case temperature (TCase)	72 °C
Maximum core temperature	72°C	68.8°C
Maximum frequency	3.2 GHz	3.60 GHz
Number of cores	2	6
Number of threads	2	12
Transistor count	1400 million	1170 million
Number of QPI Links		1
VID voltage range		0.800V-1.300V
Memory
ECC memory support
Max memory channels	2	3
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32 GB	24 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3-1333/1600, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.5V	DDR3 1066
Graphics
Graphics base frequency	350 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency	1.15 GHz
Graphics max frequency	1.15 GHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Max video memory	1.7 GB
Processor graphics	Intel HD Graphics
Graphics interfaces
DisplayPort
DVI
eDP
HDMI
Number of displays supported	3
VGA
Graphics image quality
Max resolution over DisplayPort	2560x1600@60Hz
Max resolution over eDP	2560x1600@60Hz
Max resolution over HDMI 1.4	1920x1080@60Hz
Max resolution over VGA	1920x1200@60Hz
Graphics API support
DirectX	11.1/12
OpenGL	4.3
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm	45mm x 42.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1150	FCLGA1366
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	53 Watt	130 Watt
Thermal Solution	PCG 2013C
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	16
PCI Express revision	Up to 3.0
PCIe configurations	Up to 1x16, 2x8, 1x8+2x4
Scalability	1S Only
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2	Intel® SSE4.2
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Optane™ Memory Supported
Intel® Stable Image Platform Program (SIPP)
Intel® TSX-NI
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)