Core i7-6950X

Details and Benchmarks for Intel Core i7-6950X

Sysbuilds Alpha Stage!

Please take all results with a big grain of salt. Sysbuilds is in alpha stage at the moment which can lead to wrong data, strange counting errors, silly results and more. This site is under active development.

Benchmark Results

Combined benchmark scores based on multiple data points, giving a quick overview of this processor's performance.

Overall Score

Overall score for Core i7-6950X based on all benchmark results gathered. Look at this like a meta score, you will find more specific workload ratings below.

5,780 Rank: 329
Rank Name Score Visual
325 Ryzen 7 2700X 5,792
+0.2%
326 Xeon D-2166NT 5,788
+0.1%
327 EPYC 7542 5,786
+0.1%
328 Xeon E-2224 5,783
+0.1%
329 Core i7-6950X 5,780
330 Ryzen Threadripper 1900X 5,778
+-0%
331 Xeon W-2170B 5,773
-0.1%
332 Xeon E5-2687W 0 5,770
-0.2%
333 Ryzen 3 PRO 5350GE 5,765
-0.3%
334 Ryzen 7 PRO 4750G 5,765
-0.3%

View full ranking →

Multicore Score

Multicore performance score for Core i7-6950X based on multi-threaded benchmark results.

5,985 Rank: 233
Rank Name Score Visual
229 Xeon Gold 6140 6,007
+0.4%
230 Core i7-12700H 6,001
+0.3%
231 Ryzen 7 5800X 6,001
+0.3%
232 Xeon E5-2698 v4 5,985
+0%
233 Core i7-6950X 5,985
234 Core i9-11900KF 5,982
-0.1%
235 Xeon W-2170B 5,981
-0.1%
236 Xeon Gold 6134M 5,976
-0.2%
237 Ryzen 7 PRO 5845 5,970
-0.3%
238 Xeon E5-2628L v4 5,968
-0.3%

View full ranking →

Singlecore Score

Single-core performance score for Core i7-6950X based on single-threaded benchmark results.

5,643 Rank: 461
Rank Name Score Visual
457 Ryzen 3 PRO 4350GE 5,654
+0.2%
458 Ryzen 5 PRO 2600 5,653
+0.2%
459 Core i5-7287U 5,649
+0.1%
460 Core i7-1068NG7 5,645
+0%
461 Core i7-6950X 5,643
462 Xeon W-2170B 5,635
-0.1%
463 Pentium G4520 5,635
-0.1%
464 Core i5-7500 5,635
-0.1%
465 Ryzen 7 1700X 5,635
-0.1%
466 Xeon Gold 6234 5,633
-0.2%

View full ranking →

Workload Scores

Performance scores grouped by workload type, normalized and aggregated from multiple raw benchmark results.

Number Crunching

Aggregated score for Core i7-6950X based on integer math, floating point math, and prime number computation benchmarks.

5,125 Rank: 317
Rank Name Score Visual
313 Xeon W-2150B 5,128
+0.1%
314 Xeon Gold 5120 5,128
+0.1%
315 Xeon Gold 6126 5,127
+0%
316 Xeon E5-4660 v4 5,127
+0%
317 Core i7-6950X 5,125
318 Xeon Gold 5120T 5,124
+-0%
319 Xeon Gold 5315Y 5,114
-0.2%
320 Xeon E5-2689 v4 5,111
-0.3%
321 Xeon w3-2425 5,111
-0.3%
322 Xeon Gold 6244 5,103
-0.4%

View full ranking →

Data Processing

Aggregated score for Core i7-6950X based on data encryption, data compression, and string sorting benchmarks.

5,138 Rank: 346
Rank Name Score Visual
342 Ryzen 7 PRO 1700 5,148
+0.2%
343 Xeon Gold 5117 5,142
+0.1%
344 Xeon E5-2689 v4 5,141
+0.1%
345 Ryzen 5 3600X 5,139
+0%
346 Core i7-6950X 5,138
347 Xeon W-1350 5,135
-0.1%
348 Xeon Silver 4309Y 5,135
-0.1%
349 Xeon Gold 6244 5,134
-0.1%
350 Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G 5,134
-0.1%
351 Ryzen 7 PRO 7730U 5,134
-0.1%

View full ranking →

Physics & Compute

Aggregated score for Core i7-6950X based on physics simulation and extended instruction set (SSE/AVX) benchmarks.

5,187 Rank: 294
Rank Name Score Visual
290 Xeon E5-2687W v4 5,193
+0.1%
291 Xeon E5-2695 v4 5,192
+0.1%
292 Xeon E5-4627 v4 5,190
+0.1%
293 Ryzen 7 7435HS 5,190
+0.1%
294 Core i7-6950X 5,187
295 Ryzen 7 6800H 5,180
-0.1%
296 Ryzen 9 6900HS 5,179
-0.2%
297 Xeon W-1370P 5,177
-0.2%
298 Xeon W-1290E 5,174
-0.3%
299 Ryzen 7 7735HS 5,173
-0.3%

View full ranking →

Core i7-6950X Details

As of March 2026, the Intel Core i7-6950X stands as a high-end desktop processor from the Broadwell-E era, originally launched in May 2016. Designed for enthusiasts and power users, it occupies a niche within Intel's Core i7 Extreme lineup, offering a premium combination of core count, memory bandwidth, and overclocking flexibility. While now over seven years old, the i7-6950X remains notable for its 10-core, 20-thread configuration, a rare feature at the time of release that positioned it as a serious contender in the workstation and high-performance computing space. Its 14 nm manufacturing process and LGA2011-v3 socket reflect the technological state of the mid-2010s, and despite being surpassed by modern architectures, it still holds relevance in legacy systems and specific high-thread-count workloads.

The processor operates at a base frequency of 3.0 GHz and can boost up to 4.0 GHz, leveraging Intel's Hyper-Threading technology to deliver a total of 20 threads. With a substantial 23.842 MiB of L3 cache and a quad-channel DDR4 memory interface supporting speeds up to 2400 MT/s, the i7-6950X is optimized for tasks that benefit from large data sets and high memory throughput. The 140 W TDP underscores its power consumption and thermal demands, requiring robust cooling solutions, especially when overclocked. The unlocked multiplier allows for precise frequency adjustments, making it a favorite among overclocking communities, though this comes at the cost of higher energy usage and heat output.

In terms of integrated graphics, the Core i7-6950X does not include a GPU, meaning users must rely on a discrete graphics card for visual output. However, it supports a wide range of advanced features, including Intel's AVX2, AES-NI, and VT-x virtualization, which enhance performance in encryption, multimedia, and virtualization tasks. The processor supports up to 40 PCIe 3.0 lanes directly from the CPU, enabling high-bandwidth connections to storage and expansion cards, a key advantage in multi-GPU or high-speed NVMe configurations.

Benchmark results reveal that the i7-6950X holds a balanced performance profile. It achieves an overall score of 5780, placing it at #329 among 2060 processors, with a single-core score of 5643 (#461) and a multicore score of 5985 (#232). While it trails behind modern offerings like the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9995WX and Core Ultra 9 285K, it remains competitive with many mainstream and even some high-end CPUs from its era. In the multicore category, it outperforms several Intel and AMD chips from later generations, including the Core i9-11900KF and Xeon W-2170B, highlighting its strength in parallel processing. However, its single-core performance lags behind current leaders, reflecting the limitations of its older microarchitecture.

Overall, the Core i7-6950X is best suited for users who require extensive multi-threaded performance in legacy systems or who are working with software that benefits from high core counts and memory bandwidth. While no longer a top-tier performer by today's standards, its combination of ten cores, extensive cache, and overclocking potential ensures it remains a viable option for specific professional and enthusiast applications, even in 2026.
Frequently Compared

Intel Xeon Silver 4116T 21 views

AMD Ryzen 7 2700X 20 views

AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U 19 views

Intel Xeon Silver 4114 19 views

AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2200GE 18 views

AMD Ryzen 7 PRO 2700X 18 views

AMD EPYC 7452 18 views

AMD Ryzen 9 PRO 3900 17 views

AMD EPYC 7402P 17 views

Intel Xeon W-3245M 15 views

Intel Core i7-6950X

Main Specifications

Designer: Intel
Name: Core i7-6950X
Model Number: i7-6950X
Cores: 10
Threads: 20
Base Frequency: 3000 MHz
Clock Multiplier: 30x (locked)
Core Name: Broadwell-E
Socket: LGA2011-v3
Package:
Target Segment: Desktop
Max CPUs: 1
TDP: 140 W

Cache Specifications

L1 Cache: 31.744 KiB
L2 Cache: 0.244 MiB
L3 Cache: 23.842 MiB

Memory Specifications

Supported Memory Type: DDR4 2400/2133
Memory Channels: 4
Maximum Memory: 0 GB
Maximum Bandwidth: 25.6 GB/s
ECC Support: No

PCI-Express Specifications

PCIe Revision: 3.0
PCIe Lanes: 40
PCIe Configuration: Up to 1x16, 2x8, 1x8+2x4

Integrated Graphics

GPU: None
GPU Designer: Intel
GPU Max Frequency: 1250 MHz

Physical Specifications

Process: 14 nm
Die Area: 246 mm²
Manufacturer: Intel
Word Size: 64-bit

CPU Features

MMX SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE4.1 SSE4.2 AVX AVX2 BMI1 BMI2 FMA3 AES CLMUL F16C x86-64 HT EIST TXT VT-x VT-d EPT Secure Key SMEP IPT
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