Intel Core i7-5960X vs Intel Core i7-7700K

Processor comparisons 25-03-2021

   Perhaps you can't decide which processor to buy, you can make a choice after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i7-5960X vs Intel Core i7-7700K and decide which is better for games or normal use for rendering, programming, machine learning, video editing, streaming. Here you can find useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or different benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the specifications, so that it can be easier to read, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in software tests like Dolphin Emulator, MATLAB, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), VeraCrypt, Handbrake, AIDA64, 3DMark, PassMark, RealBench, 7zip, Furmark, WPrime, Prime95, SuperPi, Gears 5, PCMark 10, UserBenchmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, Blender, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender.
   Gaming performance of CPUs in:

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

After looking at the data these benchmarks and videos, you already be able to figure out which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i7-7700K or Intel Core i7-5960X.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i7-5960X

53%

Core i7-7700K

52%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i7-5960X is 1% better than Core i7-7700K. The data source is several popular tests. Detailed information can be found below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i7-5960X

55%

Core i7-7700K

53%

For the maximum in this test, the results of the most powerful processor in the site database are taken. 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. Therefore, if you think that the selected CPU has a little game result, just look at the FPS that it produces in real games in the summary table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: Shadow of the Tomb Raider, DOTA 2A, Control, Forza Horizon 4, Metro Exodus, Battlefield V, Horizon Zero Dawn, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), NBA 2K20, Hitman 3, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Ghostrunner, Monster Hunter World, League of Legends (LOL), Half-Life: Alyx.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	97.0	93.7
Valorant	110.2	106.5
Cyberpunk 2077	61.7	59.7
Apex Legends	103.6	100.1
Call of Duty Warzone	82.6	79.9
Overwatch	89.2	86.3
Red Dead Redemption 2	76.0	73.5
DOOM Eternal	55.1	53.3
Warzone	85.9	83.1
Assassin's Creed	92.6	89.5
Valheim	91.5	88.4

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 computers participating in the comparing not only were the equipped with different amounts of RAM and different video cards. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: 4K, 2K or FullHD. So the game benchmark data is approximate. But all video cards met the average system requirements of games. To be sure exactly how much performance 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 i7-5960X

26%

Core i7-7700K

49%

To make a finishing choice 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 i7-7700K is more energy efficient than the Core i7-5960X since it has less power consumption: 140W vs. 95W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you need to know its TDP. 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

If you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for machine learning, video editing or video rendering, streaming, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, the processor turns on all cores and threads that it has. You will learn this data from the benchmark tables below. Before using the data from these tests, be sure to check whether the program you are going to use on your computer supports multi-threaded mode. Since there are still many programs that use only one core to work, 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 i7-5960X	Intel Core i7-7700K
Cinbench 15 Single-core	177	200
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	1360	995
Cinbench 20 Single-core	464	466
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	3423	2257
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1106	1216
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	7691	6055

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

	Intel Core i7-5960X	Intel Core i7-7700K
Single-Core	1966	2791
Multi-Core	12668	9750

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

	Intel Core i7-5960X	Intel Core i7-7700K
Single-Core	1095	1412
Multi-Core	8786	5637

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most useful will be the release date of the processor and the possibility of overclocking it. The later the processor is released, 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, increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in new games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The economy are obvious!

	Intel Core i7-5960X	Intel Core i7-7700K
Announcement date	April 01, 2014	October 01, 2016
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	LGA2011-v3	LGA 1151
Core name	Haswell E	Kaby Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	5	7
Turbo Frequency	3.5 MHz	4.5 MHz
Frequency	3 MHz	4.2 MHz
Cores	8	4
Threads	16	8
Bus rate	0 GT/s	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	22 nm	14 nm
Transistors count	4130 millions	1760 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	140 W	95 W
Memory type	DDR4 1600/1866/2133	DDR4-2133/2400, DDR3L-1333/1600 @ 1.35V
Max. Memory	64 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	68 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	20 MB	8 MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
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 i7-7700K is 28% better than Core i7-5960X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i7-5960X has 4 more core than Core i7-7700K. 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 i7-5960X is better: 20
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i7-7700K is better: 14
Although it should be realized that all the data in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should fully trust a simple comparison of these figures. Be sure to watch the testing video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i7-5960X and Intel Core i7-7700K before making a choice which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i7-5960X - all data

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

• Intel Core i7-5960X specs and review.

• Intel Core i7-7700K specs and review.