Intel Core i9-7960X vs Intel Core i9-10980XE

Processor comparisons 17-03-2021

   Perhaps you can't decide which CPU to buy, you can make a choice after reading the comprehensive tests Intel Core i9-7960X vs Intel Core i9-10980XE and decide which is better for games or simple use for video editing, programming, rendering, streaming, machine learning. Here is useful information from real streaming and video editing tests or many benchmarks. A step-by-step analysis of all the technical characteristics, to make it easier to read, is presented in the form of the table.
   From the video comparison, you can get the results of parallel examination in software tests like World of Tanks enCore Benchmark, SuperPi, GeekBench 6, 5.2, Handbrake, AIDA64, Blender, RealBench, Dolphin Emulator, Furmark, UserBenchmark, DaVinci Resolve Studio, Blender, WPrime, VeraCrypt, 3DMark, Gears 5, MATLAB, PCMark 10, Cinebench 23 (20, 15), 7zip, PassMark, Prime95.
   And how good the CPUs are in games:

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

After looking at the data of all benchmarks and videos, you already be able to know which processor is better to buy for gaming Intel Core i9-10980XE 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 i9-10980XE

60%

This shows the performance of the processors in single-threaded and multi-threaded mode. In this comparison, Core i9-10980XE is 3% better than Core i9-7960X. 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 i9-10980XE

61%

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

Gaming benchmark

Fortnite	106.9	108.7
Valorant	121.4	123.5
Cyberpunk 2077	68.0	69.2
Apex Legends	114.2	116.1
Call of Duty Warzone	91.1	92.6
Overwatch	98.4	100.0
Red Dead Redemption 2	83.8	85.2
DOOM Eternal	60.7	61.8
Warzone	94.7	96.3
Assassin's Creed	102.0	103.7
Valheim	100.8	102.5

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 comparisons 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. Therefore, 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 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 i9-10980XE

28%

To make a finishing 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 i9-10980XE is more energy efficient than the Core i9-7960X as it consumes less power: 165W vs. 165W. Power consumption is especially important for laptops. Also, when choosing a processor cooling system, you must 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 video rendering or video editing, machine learning, programming, streaming, then first of all you need to pay attention to the performance in multi-threaded mode. In this mode, to reach maximum efficiency, the processor uses 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 make sure that the software that you are going to use on your computer can work in 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 i9-7960X	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Cinbench 15 Single-core	184	211
Cinbench 15 Multi-core	3161	3800
Cinbench 20 Single-core	611	480
Cinbench 20 Multi-core	5496	8848
Cinbench 23 Single-core	1103	1191
Cinbench 23 Multi-core	22189	24309

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

	Intel Core i9-7960X	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Single-Core	2605	2626
Multi-Core	27039	34005

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

	Intel Core i9-7960X	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Single-Core	1113	1417
Multi-Core	18501	20280

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 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 still be able to produce maximum FPS even in the newest games. The savings are obvious! It turns out that you do not need to buy a new CPU to enjoy the games any longer.

	Intel Core i9-7960X	Intel Core i9-10980XE
Announcement date	October 01, 2017	October 01, 2019
Type	Desktop	Desktop
Socket	FCLGA2066	FCLGA2066
Core name	Skylake	Cascade Lake
Architecture	x86	x86
Generation	7	10
Turbo Frequency	4.2 MHz	4.8 MHz
Frequency	2.8 MHz	3 MHz
Cores	16	18
Threads	32	36
Bus rate	8 GT/s	8 GT/s DMI3
Bit	64	64
Lithography		14 nm
Transistors count	7800 millions	9200 millions
Power consumption (TDP)	165 W	165 W
Memory type	DDR4-2666	DDR4-2933
Max. Memory	128 Gb	256 Gb
Memory Frequency
Memory bandwidth	85 GB/s	94 GB/s
L1 cache
L2 cache
L3 cache	22 MB	24.75 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 i9-10980XE is 6% better than Core i9-7960X in terms of CPU frequency. Another difference is that Core i9-10980XE has 2 more core than Core i9-7960X. 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: 2
The number of parameters for which Intel Core i9-10980XE is better: 32
However, it should be realized that all the data in the table 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 real owners of Intel Core i9-7960X and Intel Core i9-10980XE before making a decision which of the processors to buy for gaming.

• Intel Core i9-7960X specs and review.

• Intel Core i9-10980XE specs and review.