FX-4300 vs i7-3960X Extreme Edition

Primary details

Comparing Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition and FX-4300 processor market type (desktop or notebook), architecture, sales start time and price.

Place in the ranking	1139	1968
Place by popularity	not in top-100	not in top-100
Cost-effectiveness evaluation	no data	0.27
Market segment	Desktop processor	Desktop processor
Series	Intel Core i7EE	no data
Power efficiency	4.07	1.87
Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Vishera (2012−2015)
Release date	14 November 2011 (12 years ago)	23 October 2012 (12 years ago)
Launch price (MSRP)	no data	$122

Cost-effectiveness evaluation

Performance per price, higher is better.

Detailed specifications

Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition and FX-4300 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)	4 (Quad-Core)
Threads	12	4
Base clock speed	no data	3.8 GHz
Boost clock speed	3.3 GHz	4 GHz
Bus type	DMI 2.0	no data
Bus rate	5 GT/s	no data
Multiplier	33	no data
L2 cache	1,536 KB	4096 KB
L3 cache	15 MB	no data
Chip lithography	32 nm	32 nm
Die size	434.72 mm2	315 mm2
Maximum core temperature	no data	71 °C
Number of transistors	2270 Million	1,200 million
64 bit support	+	+
Windows 11 compatibility	-	-
Unlocked multiplier	-	+
P0 Vcore voltage	no data	Min: 1.225 V - Max: 1.3875 V

Compatibility

Information on Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition and FX-4300 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	AM3+
Power consumption (TDP)	130 Watt	95 Watt

Technologies and extensions

Technological solutions and additional instructions supported by Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition and FX-4300. You'll probably need this information if you require some particular technology.

AES-NI	+	+
FMA	-	+
AVX	+	+
Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST)	+	no data

Virtualization technologies

Virtual machine speed-up technologies supported by Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition and FX-4300 are enumerated here.

AMD-V

-

+

Memory specs

Types, maximum amount and channel quantity of RAM supported by Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition and FX-4300. Depending on the motherboard, higher memory frequencies may be supported.

Supported memory types	no data	DDR3
Maximum memory size	64 GB	no data

Graphics specifications

General parameters of integrated GPUs, if any.

Integrated graphics card

no data

On certain motherboards (Chipset feature)

Peripherals

Specifications and connection of peripherals supported by Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition and FX-4300.

PCIe version	2.00	n/a
PCI Express lanes	40	no data

Synthetic benchmark performance

Various benchmark results of the processors in comparison. Overall score is measured in points in 0-100 range, higher is better.

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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.

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Pros & cons summary

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Performance score	5.80	1.95
Recency	14 November 2011	23 October 2012
Physical cores	6	4
Threads	12	4
Power consumption (TDP)	130 Watt	95 Watt

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Should you still have questions on choice between Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition and FX-4300, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.

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