Intel Core i9-10900X vs Intel Core i9-7960X

Processor comparisons 23-03-2021

   You may have difficulties with the choice of a processor, you will solve them by reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i9-10900X vs Intel Core i9-7960X and understand which is better for games or normal use for video editing, machine learning, streaming, rendering, programming. Here you can find useful information from several benchmarks or real video editing and streaming tests. A careful review of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the comparison video, you can get the results of joint testing in special test applications such as RealBench, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blender, UserBenchmark, SuperPi, WPrime, AIDA64, GeekBench 6, 5.2, MATLAB, PCMark 10, PassMark, Blender, Gears 5, Dolphin Emulator, VeraCrypt, Handbrake, Prime95, 3DMark, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, 7zip, Furmark.
   Gaming performance of processors in:

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

After reading the results of all benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-7960X or Intel Core i9-10900X.

Summary benchmark results

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

Core i9-10900X

56%

Core i9-7960X

58%

The number of 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 i9-10900X. The data source is several popular tests. More detailed information of the benchmarks is below.

Gaming performance
Summary result of all game benchmarks.

Core i9-10900X

57%

Core i9-7960X

60%

The maximum result in this parameter is 100 percent, which is the performance of the most powerful processor at the moment. And of course, this is a server processor, on which no one will run games. Because the cost of this processor reaches 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 summary table below.
List of other games in which CPU comparisons were performed: League of Legends (LOL), DOTA 2A, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Horizon Zero Dawn, Monster Hunter World, Shadow of the Tomb Raider, Half-Life: Alyx, Metro Exodus, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Microsoft Flight Simulator, NBA 2K20, Ghostrunner, Control, Hitman 3, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Battlefield V, Forza Horizon 4.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	100.7	106.9
Valorant	114.4	121.4
Cyberpunk 2077	64.1	68.0
Apex Legends	107.5	114.2
Call of Duty Warzone	85.8	91.1
Overwatch	92.7	98.4
Red Dead Redemption 2	78.9	83.8
DOOM Eternal	57.2	60.7
Warzone	89.2	94.7
Assassin's Creed	96.1	102.0
Valheim	95.0	100.8

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 i9-10900X

24%

Core i9-7960X

22%

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 i9-10900X is more energy efficient than the Core i9-7960X as it consumes less power: 165W vs. 165W. 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

If you plan to use the processor not only for gaming, but also for streaming, programming, machine learning, video rendering or video editing, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, the CPU uses all cores and threads that it has to the maximum to reach maximum efficiency. 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. Because there are still many programs that can use only one core to run, and all the advantages 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 i9-10900X	Intel Core i9-7960X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	198	184
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	2358	3161
Cinbench 20 Single-core	523	611
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	6165	5496
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1143	1103
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	14301	22189

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

	Intel Core i9-10900X	Intel Core i9-7960X
Single-Core	2745	2605
Multi-Core	22786	27039

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

	Intel Core i9-10900X	Intel Core i9-7960X
Single-Core	1237	1113
Multi-Core	12434	18501

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 later the processor is released, the longer it will last in your computer. 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 new games. Accordingly, you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-10900X	Intel Core i9-7960X
Announcement date	October 01, 2019	October 01, 2017
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	FCLGA2066
Core name	Cascade Lake	Skylake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	10	7
Turbo Frequency	4.5 MHz	4.2 MHz
Frequency	3.7 MHz	2.8 MHz
Cores	10	16
Threads	20	32
Bus rate	8 GT/s DMI3	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography	14 nm
Transistors count	9200 millions	7800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 W	165 W
Memory type	DDR4-2933	DDR4-2666
Max. Memory	256 Gb	128 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	94 GB/s	85 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	19.25 MB	22 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 i9-10900X is 24% better than Core i9-7960X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-7960X has 6 more core than Core i9-10900X. 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 i9-10900X is better: 13
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-7960X is better: 20
Although it should be realized that all the figures in the text above do not mean that taking them into account you should entirely trust a simple comparison of these numbers. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the reviews of of people who bought Intel Core i9-10900X and Intel Core i9-7960X before making a choice which CPU to buy for gaming and which not.

Intel Core i9-10900X - all data

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

• Intel Core i9-10900X specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-7960X specs and review.