AMD Ryzen 7 9700X vs Intel Core i7-5960X
85.6Single-core20.5
62.4Multi-core34.1
67.2Gaming43.4
14 spec wins — AMD Ryzen 7 9700X2 spec wins — Intel Core i7-5960X
InnoReviews verdict
AMD Ryzen 7 9700X wins this desktop processor face-off, 70.6 to 32.3, pulling ahead mainly in Single-core (+65) and Multi-core (+28). Intel Core i7-5960X still makes sense if its price or standout specs fit your needs better.
Which would you pick?
Key differences
Reasons to pick the AMD Ryzen 7 9700X
- Stronger Single-core score: 86 vs 21
- Stronger Multi-core score: 62 vs 34
- Stronger gaming score: 67 vs 43
- 300% higher L2 cache: 8 MB vs 2 MB
- 206% higher Geekbench 6 (single): 3,150 vs 1,030
- Lower launch price: $359 vs $999
Reasons to pick the Intel Core i7-5960X
- 100% higher Memory channels: 4 vs 2
- 43% higher CPU PCIe lanes: 40 vs 28
General
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 7 9700X | Intel Core i7-5960X |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | 2024 | 2014 |
| Socket | AM5 | LGA2011-v3 |
| Process | 4 nm+82% | 22 nm |
| Base TDP | 65 W+54% | 140 W |
| Max turbo power | 88 W | — |
| Unlocked multiplier | Yes | Yes |
| Cooler included | No | No |
Cores & Clocks
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 7 9700X | Intel Core i7-5960X |
|---|---|---|
| Cores | 8 | 8 |
| Performance cores | 8 | 8 |
| Efficiency cores | 0 | 0 |
| Threads | 16 | 16 |
| Base clock | 3.8 GHz+27% | 3 GHz |
| Boost clock | 5.5 GHz+57% | 3.5 GHz |
| L2 cache | 8 MB+300% | 2 MB |
| L3 cache | 32 MB+60% | 20 MB |
Integrated GPU
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 7 9700X | Intel Core i7-5960X |
|---|---|---|
| iGPU | AMD Radeon Graphics (2 CU RDNA 2) | — |
| iGPU clock | 2,200 MHz | — |
Memory
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 7 9700X | Intel Core i7-5960X |
|---|---|---|
| Memory support | DDR5-5600 | DDR4-2133 |
| Max memory | 192 GB+200% | 64 GB |
| Memory channels | 2 | 4+100% |
Platform
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 7 9700X | Intel Core i7-5960X |
|---|---|---|
| PCIe version | 5+67% | 3 |
| CPU PCIe lanes | 28 | 40+43% |
Benchmarks
| Spec | AMD Ryzen 7 9700X | Intel Core i7-5960X |
|---|---|---|
| Geekbench 6 (single) | 3,150+206%Top 5% | 1,030Top 96% |
| Geekbench 6 (multi) | 16,500+170%Top 15% | 6,100Top 69% |
| Cinebench R23 (single) | 2,150+147%Top 9% | 870Top 97% |
| Cinebench R23 (multi) | 19,500+135%Top 21% | 8,300Top 70% |
| PassMark | 38,500+144%Top 18% | 15,800Top 60% |
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