Ryzen 7 9700X vs i7-3970X Extreme Edition
Aggregate performance score
Ryzen 7 9700X outperforms Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition by a whopping 305% based on our aggregate benchmark results.
Primary details
Comparing Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Ryzen 7 9700X processor market type (desktop or notebook), architecture, sales start time and price.
| Place in the ranking | 1111 | 215 |
| Place by popularity | not in top-100 | not in top-100 |
| Cost-effectiveness evaluation | no data | 51.42 |
| Market segment | Desktop processor | Desktop processor |
| Series | Intel Core i7EE | no data |
| Power efficiency | 3.67 | 34.27 |
| Architecture codename | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Granite Ridge (2024) |
| Release date | 12 November 2012 (11 years ago) | 8 August 2024 (less than a year ago) |
| Launch price (MSRP) | no data | $359 |
Cost-effectiveness evaluation
Performance per price, higher is better.
Detailed specifications
Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Ryzen 7 9700X 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) | 8 (Octa-Core) |
| Threads | 12 | 16 |
| Base clock speed | no data | 3.8 GHz |
| Boost clock speed | 3.5 GHz | 5.5 GHz |
| Bus type | DMI 2.0 | no data |
| Bus rate | 5 GT/s | no data |
| Multiplier | 35 | no data |
| L1 cache | no data | 80 KB (per core) |
| L2 cache | 1,536 KB | 1 MB (per core) |
| L3 cache | 15 MB | 32 MB (shared) |
| Chip lithography | 32 nm | 4 nm |
| Die size | no data | 70.6 mm2 |
| Maximum core temperature | no data | 95 °C |
| Number of transistors | no data | 8,315 million |
| 64 bit support | + | + |
| Windows 11 compatibility | - | no data |
| Unlocked multiplier | - | + |
Compatibility
Information on Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Ryzen 7 9700X 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 | AM5 |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 150 Watt | 65 Watt |
Technologies and extensions
Technological solutions and additional instructions supported by Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Ryzen 7 9700X. You'll probably need this information if you require some particular technology.
| Instruction set extensions | no data | SMT, AES, AVX, AVX2, AVX512, FMA3, MMX (+), SHA, SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4.1, SSE4.2, SSE4A |
| AES-NI | + | + |
| AVX | + | + |
| Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST) | + | no data |
| Precision Boost 2 | no data | + |
Virtualization technologies
Virtual machine speed-up technologies supported by Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Ryzen 7 9700X are enumerated here.
| AMD-V | - | + |
Memory specs
Types, maximum amount and channel quantity of RAM supported by Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Ryzen 7 9700X. Depending on the motherboard, higher memory frequencies may be supported.
| Supported memory types | no data | DDR5 |
| Maximum memory size | 64 GB | no data |
Graphics specifications
General parameters of integrated GPUs, if any.
| Integrated graphics card | no data | AMD Radeon Graphics |
Peripherals
Specifications and connection of peripherals supported by Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Ryzen 7 9700X.
| PCIe version | 2.00 | 5.0 |
| PCI Express lanes | 40 | 24 |
Pros & cons summary
| Performance score | 6.03 | 24.43 |
| Recency | 12 November 2012 | 8 August 2024 |
| Physical cores | 6 | 8 |
| Threads | 12 | 16 |
| Chip lithography | 32 nm | 4 nm |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 150 Watt | 65 Watt |
Ryzen 7 9700X has a 305.1% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 11 years, 33.3% more physical cores and 33.3% more threads, a 700% more advanced lithography process, and 130.8% lower power consumption.
The Ryzen 7 9700X is our recommended choice as it beats the Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition in performance tests.
Should you still have questions on choice between Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition and Ryzen 7 9700X, 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.
