Intel Core i9-7960X vs AMD Ryzen 7 2700X

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   If there are difficulties with the choice of a CPU, you will solve them by reading the full tests Intel Core i9-7960X vs AMD Ryzen 7 2700X and understand which is better for games or normal use for streaming, video editing, programming, machine learning, rendering. Here is all information from real video editing and streaming tests or various benchmarks. A thorough analysis of all the specifications, to make it easier to understand, is made by the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like RealBench, PCMark 10, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), Furmark, World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, WPrime, Gears 5, UserBenchmark, MATLAB, 7zip, Blender, AIDA64, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Blender, 3DMark, Handbrake, Dolphin Emulator, Prime95, SuperPi, PassMark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, VeraCrypt.
   And how good the processors are in games:

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

After reading the results of parallel benchmarks and videos, you can already make an briefed decision about which processor is better to buy for gaming AMD Ryzen 7 2700X 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%

Ryzen 7 2700X

55%

This parameter shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-7960X is 5% better than Ryzen 7 2700X. 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%

Ryzen 7 2700X

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 less popular games in which processors were compared: Half-Life: Alyx, Battlefield V, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, Metro Exodus, Monster Hunter World, NBA 2K20, Forza Horizon 4, Hitman 3, DOTA 2A, Ghostrunner, League of Legends (LOL), Shadow of the Tomb Raider, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG), Horizon Zero Dawn, Microsoft Flight Simulator, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS GO), Control.

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.9	96.4
Valorant	121.4	109.6
Cyberpunk 2077	68.0	61.4
Apex Legends	114.2	103.0
Call of Duty Warzone	91.1	82.2
Overwatch	98.4	88.8
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.8	75.6
DOOM Eternal	60.7	54.8
Warzone	94.7	85.5
Assassin's Creed	102.0	92.1
Valheim	100.8	91.0

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 video cards and different amounts of RAM. But users also tested them at different screen resolutions: FullHD, 2K or 4K. 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 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%

Ryzen 7 2700X

34%

To make a final decision 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 Ryzen 7 2700X is more energy efficient than the Core i9-7960X since it has less power consumption: 165W vs. 105W. Power consumption is especially 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, video rendering or video editing, machine learning, programming, then the main parameter for you is its performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to achieve maximum performance, the CPU includes all cores and threads that it has. You will learn 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 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 i9-7960X	AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
Cinbench 15 Single-core	184	177
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3161	1817
Cinbench 20 Single-core	611	411
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	5496	3951
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1103	1092
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	22189	10545

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

	Intel Core i9-7960X	AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
Single-Core	2605	2465
Multi-Core	27039	17664

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

	Intel Core i9-7960X	AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
Single-Core	1113	1100
Multi-Core	18501	8275

Comparison of specifications

In the specification comparison table, the most helpful will be the the possibility of overclocking it and release date of the processor. The newer the processor, the longer it will last in your computer. And the easier it will be to upgrade the system later. The same benefits from the presence of overclocking. When the processor can be overclocked, thereby increasing its performance, then it will still be able to produce maximum FPS in the newest games. Accordingly, there is no longer a need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer. The savings are obvious!

	Intel Core i9-7960X	AMD Ryzen 7 2700X
Announcement date	October 01, 2017	April 19, 2018
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	AM4
Core name	Skylake	Pinnacle Ridge
Architecture	x86	Zen+
Generation	7	2
Turbo Frequency	4.2 MHz	4.3 MHz
Frequency	2.8 MHz	3.7 MHz
Cores	16	8
Threads	32	16
Bus rate	8 GT/s
Bit	64	64
Lithography		12 nm
Transistors count	7800 millions	3800 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 W	105 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4
Max. Memory	128 Gb	64 Gb
Memory Frequency		2933
Memory bandwidth	85 GB/s
L1 cache		768KB
L2 cache		4MB
L3 cache	22 MB	16MB
Overclocking	No	Yes
Supports ECC	No	No
Part number		YD270XBGM88AF YD270XBGAFBOX YD270XBGAFMPK

In this comparison block, you should pay attention to the differences in clock speed and the number of cores. Here Ryzen 7 2700X is 24% better than Core i9-7960X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-7960X has 8 more core than Ryzen 7 2700X. 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: 30
The number of parameters for which AMD Ryzen 7 2700X is better: 8
However, it should be realized that all the number in the article above do not mean that taking them into account you should completely trust a simple quantitative comparison. Better to watch benchmarks video and read the opinion of of people who bought Intel Core i9-7960X and AMD Ryzen 7 2700X before making a choice which processor to buy for gaming and which not.

• Intel Core i9-7960X specs and review.

• AMD Ryzen 7 2700X specs and review.