Intel Core i7-3960X Review

SiSoft Sandra

Processor Arithmetic

In the eternal battle between clock speed and architecture the i7-3960X demonstrates with aplomb that newer equals better. Not only is it the highest Dhrystone result we’ve ever seen, but at stock it keeps up with the heavily overclocked i7-990X. How to erase the 990Xs 1.4 GHz of clock speed benefit with a simple architecture improvement. 

Processor MultiMedia

The differences are less pronounced when we move to the Mandelbrot fractal generation of the MultiMedia test in Sandra. Obviously the SSE instruction sets used for this haven’t changed and therefore a combination of available threads and pure horsepower will always win out. Even still the i7-3960X trumps the stock i7-990X, and the stock FX8150 is yet further behind.