i7-4930K vs i7-3970X Extreme Edition
Aggregate performance score
Core i7-4930K outperforms Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition by a minimal 2% based on our aggregate benchmark results.
Primary details
Comparing Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core i7-4930K processor market type (desktop or notebook), architecture, sales start time and price.
| Place in the ranking | 1115 | 1097 |
| Place by popularity | not in top-100 | not in top-100 |
| Cost-effectiveness evaluation | no data | 0.60 |
| Market segment | Desktop processor | Desktop processor |
| Series | Intel Core i7EE | no data |
| Power efficiency | 3.67 | 4.31 |
| Architecture codename | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Ivy Bridge-E (2013) |
| Release date | 12 November 2012 (12 years ago) | 1 September 2013 (11 years ago) |
| Launch price (MSRP) | no data | $670 |
Cost-effectiveness evaluation
Performance per price, higher is better.
Detailed specifications
Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core i7-4930K basic parameters such as number of cores, number of threads, base frequency and turbo boost clock, lithography, cache size and multiplier lock state. These parameters indirectly say of CPU speed, though for more precise assessment you have to consider their test results.
| Physical cores | 6 (Hexa-Core) | 6 (Hexa-Core) |
| Threads | 12 | 12 |
| Base clock speed | no data | 3.4 GHz |
| Boost clock speed | 3.5 GHz | 3.9 GHz |
| Bus type | DMI 2.0 | no data |
| Bus rate | 5 GT/s | 5 GT/s |
| Multiplier | 35 | no data |
| L1 cache | no data | 64 KB (per core) |
| L2 cache | 1,536 KB | 256 KB (per core) |
| L3 cache | 15 MB | 12 MB (shared) |
| Chip lithography | 32 nm | 22 nm |
| Die size | no data | 257 mm2 |
| Maximum core temperature | no data | 67 °C |
| Number of transistors | no data | 1,860 million |
| 64 bit support | + | + |
| Windows 11 compatibility | - | - |
| Unlocked multiplier | - | + |
Compatibility
Information on Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core i7-4930K compatibility with other computer components: motherboard (look for socket type), power supply unit (look for power consumption) etc. Useful when planning a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. Note that power consumption of some processors can well exceed their nominal TDP, even without overclocking. Some can even double their declared thermals given that the motherboard allows to tune the CPU power parameters.
| Number of CPUs in a configuration | 1 (Uniprocessor) | 1 |
| Socket | no data | FCLGA2011 |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 150 Watt | 130 Watt |
Technologies and extensions
Technological solutions and additional instructions supported by Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core i7-4930K. You'll probably need this information if you require some particular technology.
| Instruction set extensions | no data | Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX |
| AES-NI | + | + |
| AVX | + | + |
| Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST) | + | + |
| Turbo Boost Technology | no data | 2.0 |
| Hyper-Threading Technology | no data | + |
| Idle States | no data | + |
| Thermal Monitoring | - | + |
| Smart Response | no data | + |
| Demand Based Switching | no data | - |
Security technologies
Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core i7-4930K technologies aimed at improving security, for example, by protecting against hacks.
| TXT | no data | - |
| EDB | no data | + |
| Identity Protection | - | + |
Virtualization technologies
Virtual machine speed-up technologies supported by Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core i7-4930K are enumerated here.
| VT-d | no data | + |
| VT-x | no data | + |
| EPT | no data | + |
Memory specs
Types, maximum amount and channel quantity of RAM supported by Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core i7-4930K. Depending on the motherboard, higher memory frequencies may be supported.
| Supported memory types | no data | DDR3 |
| Maximum memory size | 64 GB | 64 GB |
| Max memory channels | no data | 4 |
| Maximum memory bandwidth | no data | 59.7 GB/s |
Peripherals
Specifications and connection of peripherals supported by Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core i7-4930K.
| PCIe version | 2.00 | 3.0 |
| PCI Express lanes | 40 | 40 |
Synthetic benchmark performance
Various benchmark results of the processors in comparison. Overall score is measured in points in 0-100 range, higher is better.
Combined synthetic benchmark score
This is our combined benchmark performance rating. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.
3DMark Fire Strike Physics
Pros & cons summary
| Performance score | 5.92 | 6.03 |
| Recency | 12 November 2012 | 1 September 2013 |
| Chip lithography | 32 nm | 22 nm |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 150 Watt | 130 Watt |
i7-4930K has a 1.9% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 9 months, a 45.5% more advanced lithography process, and 15.4% lower power consumption.
Given the minimal performance differences, no clear winner can be declared between Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core i7-4930K.
Should you still have questions on choice between Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Core i7-4930K, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.
Similar processor comparisons
We picked several similar comparisons of processors in the same market segment and performance relatively close to those reviewed on this page.
