Intel Core i3-1210U vs Intel Core i7-6950X

Processor comparisons 10-01-2022

   Let's say you have difficulties with the choice of a CPU, you will solve them by reading the detailed tests Intel Core i3-1210U vs Intel Core i7-6950X and decide which is better for games or simple use for programming, video editing, rendering, streaming, machine learning. Here you can find useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or many benchmarks. A thorough review of all the technical characteristics, so that it can be easier to understand, is summarized in the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in special testing software such as Prime95, 7zip, GeekBench 6, 5.2, VeraCrypt, Gears 5, PCMark 10, PassMark, MATLAB, 3DMark, UserBenchmark, Dolphin Emulator, DaVinci Resolve Studio, WPrime, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), RealBench, AIDA64, Blender, Furmark, Handbrake, Blender, SuperPi, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After reading the results these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-6950X or Intel Core i3-1210U.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i3-1210U

54%

Core i7-6950X

55%

The number of this parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i7-6950X is 1% better than Core i3-1210U. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i3-1210U

53%

Core i7-6950X

56%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	94.3	99.4
Valorant	107.1	113.0
Cyberpunk 2077	60.0	63.3
Apex Legends	100.7	106.2
Call of Duty Warzone	80.3	84.7
Overwatch	86.8	91.5
Red Dead Redemption 2	73.9	77.9
DOOM Eternal	53.6	56.5
Warzone	83.6	88.1
Assassin's Creed	90.0	94.9
Valheim	88.9	93.8

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: 4K, 2K or FullHD. Therefore, 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 compare it in one assembly with the video card that is installed in your computer.

Power consumption

Core i3-1210U

409%

Core i7-6950X

28%

To make a final decision on which processor is better, you should also consider the generation of its core. It is clear that the newer the generation, the better the performance of the processor in games and benchmarks, as well as its energy efficiency. In this case the Core i3-1210U is more energy efficient than the Core i7-6950X as it consumes less power: 9W vs. 140W. Power consumption is particularly important for laptops. And TDP should be taken into account when choosing a processor cooling system. You need to buy a cooler that has the TDP data specified in the specification was greater than the TDP of the compared processor.

Software benchmarks

Let's say you want to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, programming, streaming, video editing or video rendering, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum efficiency, the processor turns on all cores and threads 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 make sure that 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 advantages of multi-core mode turns out to be unnecessary.

Cinebench 23, 20 an 15
The results of this benchmark show Single-threaded and Multi-threaded CPU performance

	Intel Core i3-1210U	Intel Core i7-6950X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	204	152
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1495	1819
Cinbench 20 Single-core	490	498
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3395	4827
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1147	1091
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	11189	12713

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

	Intel Core i3-1210U	Intel Core i7-6950X
Single-Core	2684	2377
Multi-Core	15665	17125

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

	Intel Core i3-1210U	Intel Core i7-6950X
Single-Core	1106	1204
Multi-Core	6143	11187

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. 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 benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will continue to maintain maximum FPS in the newest games. It turns out that there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i3-1210U	Intel Core i7-6950X
Announcement date	January 07, 2022	April 01, 2016
Type	Laptop	Desktop
Socket	FCBGA1744	LGA2011-v3
Core name	Alder Lake-U	Broadwell E
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	12	6
Turbo Frequency	4.4 MHz	3.5 MHz
Frequency	1 MHz	3 MHz
Cores	6	10
Threads	8	20
Bus rate	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	10 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	9800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	9 W	140 W
Memory type	Up to DDR5 4800 MT/s Up to DDR4 3200 MT/s Up to LPDDR5 5200 MT/s Up to LPDDR4x 4267 MT/s	DDR4 2400/2133
Max. Memory	64 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	45.8 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	24 MB	25 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 i7-6950X is 66% better than Core i3-1210U in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i7-6950X has 4 more core than Core i3-1210U. 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 i3-1210U is better: 11
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-6950X is better: 23
Although it should be realized that all the data that you have looked at here do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the video tests and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i3-1210U and Intel Core i7-6950X before making a selection which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i3-1210U - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i3-1210U specs and review.

Intel Core i7-6950X - all data

• Cinebench r15 score
• Cinebench r20 score
• Cinebench r23 score
• GeekBench 6, 5.2 score

• Intel Core i7-6950X specs and review.