Intel Core i9-7960X vs Intel Core i5-11600K

Processor comparisons   17-03-2021
   If you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a decision after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i9-7960X vs Intel Core i5-11600K and understand which is better for games or normal use for machine learning, rendering, programming, streaming, video editing. Here you can find useful information from many benchmarks or real streaming and video editing tests. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to read, is summarized in the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like RealBench, 3DMark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, GeekBench 6, 5.2, WPrime, UserBenchmark, 7zip, AIDA64, PassMark, Prime95, Gears 5, Furmark, VeraCrypt, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Dolphin Emulator, SuperPi, Handbrake, MATLAB, PCMark 10, Blender, Blender.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

Grand Theft Auto V
Valheim
Fallout 76
World of Warcraft: Shadowlands
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone
Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Overwatch
Apex Legends
Watch Dogs Legion
Rainbow Six Siege
Borderlands 3
Death Stranding
Halo Infinite
Red Dead Redemption 2
Valorant
Cyberpunk 2077
Last Man Standing
Fortnite
DOOM: Eternal

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i5-11600K or Intel Core i9-7960X.

Summary benchmark results

As a percentage of the maximum value based on a sample from the entire base of all processors
Processor Benchmark

Core i9-7960X

58%

Core i5-11600K

56%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-7960X is 3% better than Core i5-11600K. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-7960X

60%

Core i5-11600K

54%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor currently available. And it is clear that this is a server processor, on which no one will play games. Because the cost of this processor reaches several tens of thousands of dollars. And if it seems to you that the selected CPU has a small game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which processors were compared: Battlefield V, Microsoft Flight Simulator, League of Legends (LOL), Forza Horizon 4, Horizon Zero Dawn, NBA 2K20, Hitman 3, Control, Ghostrunner, Half-Life: Alyx, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Metro Exodus, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Monster Hunter World, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, DOTA 2A, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO).

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.9	95.2
Valorant	121.4	108.1
Cyberpunk 2077	68.0	60.6
Apex Legends	114.2	101.6
Call of Duty Warzone	91.1	81.1
Overwatch	98.4	87.6
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.8	74.6
DOOM Eternal	60.7	54.1
Warzone	94.7	84.3
Assassin's Creed	102.0	90.8
Valheim	100.8	89.7

The numbers in this table indicate the maximum FPS that was received on the device with the corresponding processor. Depending on the configuration of the computer (RAM size and Video Card) and graphics quality settings (Ultra, Medium, Normal), the results may differ quite significantly. We recommend that you better study the results of the Cinebench, GeekBench and Passmark becnmarks.
The tested computers not only did they have different video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 2K, FullHD or 4K. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. You will get more accurate information about how powerful the processor will be in games, if you get acquainted with the benchmarks that are made with the same video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i9-7960X

22%

Core i5-11600K

43%

To make a final resolution on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. The newer the processor generation, the better its performance in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i5-11600K is more energy efficient than the Core i9-7960X since it has less power consumption: 165W vs. 125W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to know its TDP. It is necessary to calculate so that the TDP data specified in the cooler specification is greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

For example you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, streaming, programming, video rendering or video editing, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the processor turns on all threads and cores that it has. You will find out this data from the benchmark tables below. Before you take into account the data from these tests, be sure to find out whether the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in multi-threaded mode. Because there are still many programs that use only one core to run, and all the benefit of multi-core mode are unused.
Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i9-7960X	Intel Core i5-11600K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	184	199
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3161	1905
Cinbench 20 Single-core	611	465
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	5496	4270
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1103	1213
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	22189	11302

Passmark
This popular benchmark displays Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i9-7960X	Intel Core i5-11600K
Single-Core	2605	2707
Multi-Core	27039	20616

GeekBench 6, 5.2
This benchmark shows Multi-threaded and Single-threaded processor performance

	Intel Core i9-7960X	Intel Core i5-11600K
Single-Core	1113	1621
Multi-Core	18501	7012

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The newer the processor, the longer it will last you. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system in the future. The same can be said about overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. The economy are obvious! Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i9-7960X	Intel Core i5-11600K
Announcement date	October 01, 2017	January 20, 2021
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	FCLGA1200
Core name	Skylake	Rocket Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	7	11
Turbo Frequency	4.2 MHz	4.9 MHz
Frequency	2.8 MHz	3.9 MHz
Cores	16	6
Threads	32	12
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography		14 nm
Transistors count	7800 millions	5400 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 W	125 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4-3200
Max. Memory	128 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency		3200
Memory bandwidth	85 GB/s	50 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache		3 MB
L3 cache	22 MB	12 MB
Overclocking	No	No
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Core i5-11600K is 28% better than Core i9-7960X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-7960X has 10 more core than Core i5-11600K. Also keep in mind that high CPU frequency affects battery life through power consumption (relevant for laptops).

Result:
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-7960X is better: 23
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i5-11600K is better: 11
However, it should be realized that all the figures in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of real owners of Intel Core i9-7960X and Intel Core i5-11600K before making a decision which of the CPUs to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i9-7960X specs and review.

• Intel Core i5-11600K specs and review.