i7-3960X Extreme Edition vs Apple M1 Pro
Aggregate performance score
Apple M1 Pro outperforms Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition by an impressive 94% based on our aggregate benchmark results.
Primary details
Comparing M1 Pro and Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition processor market type (desktop or notebook), architecture, sales start time and price.
| Place in the ranking | 721 | 1154 |
| Place by popularity | not in top-100 | not in top-100 |
| Market segment | Laptop | Desktop processor |
| Series | Apple M-Series | Intel Core i7EE |
| Power efficiency | no data | 4.07 |
| Architecture codename | no data | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| Release date | 18 October 2021 (3 years ago) | 14 November 2011 (13 years ago) |
Detailed specifications
M1 Pro and Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition 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 | 10 (Deca-Core) | 6 (Hexa-Core) |
| Threads | 10 | 12 |
| Base clock speed | 2.064 GHz | no data |
| Boost clock speed | 3.22 GHz | 3.3 GHz |
| Bus type | no data | DMI 2.0 |
| Bus rate | no data | 5 GT/s |
| Multiplier | no data | 33 |
| L1 cache | 2.9 MB | no data |
| L2 cache | 28 MB | 1,536 KB |
| L3 cache | 24 MB | 15 MB |
| Chip lithography | 5 nm | 32 nm |
| Die size | no data | 434.72 mm2 |
| Number of transistors | 33700 Million | 2270 Million |
| 64 bit support | + | + |
| Windows 11 compatibility | no data | - |
Compatibility
Information on M1 Pro and Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition 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 | no data | 1 (Uniprocessor) |
| Power consumption (TDP) | no data | 130 Watt |
Technologies and extensions
Technological solutions and additional instructions supported by M1 Pro and Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition. You'll probably need this information if you require some particular technology.
| AES-NI | - | + |
| AVX | - | + |
| Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST) | no data | + |
Memory specs
Types, maximum amount and channel quantity of RAM supported by M1 Pro and Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition. Depending on the motherboard, higher memory frequencies may be supported.
| Maximum memory size | no data | 64 GB |
Graphics specifications
General parameters of integrated GPUs, if any.
| Integrated graphics card | Apple M1 Pro 16-Core GPU | no data |
Peripherals
Specifications and connection of peripherals supported by M1 Pro and Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition.
| PCIe version | no data | 2.00 |
| PCI Express lanes | no data | 40 |
Pros & cons summary
| Performance score | 10.83 | 5.59 |
| Recency | 18 October 2021 | 14 November 2011 |
| Physical cores | 10 | 6 |
| Threads | 10 | 12 |
| Chip lithography | 5 nm | 32 nm |
Apple M1 Pro has a 93.7% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 9 years, 66.7% more physical cores, and a 540% more advanced lithography process.
i7-3960X Extreme Edition, on the other hand, has 20% more threads.
The M1 Pro is our recommended choice as it beats the Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition in performance tests.
Be aware that Apple M1 Pro is a notebook processor while Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition is a desktop one.
Should you still have questions on choice between Apple M1 Pro and Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.
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