Core i9-7960X

Details and Benchmarks for Intel Core i9-7960X

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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 i9-7960X based on all benchmark results gathered. Look at this like a meta score, you will find more specific workload ratings below.

6,468 Rank: 122
Rank Name Score Visual
118 Core i9-10940X 6,485
+0.3%
119 EPYC 7401 6,480
+0.2%
120 Ryzen Threadripper 3990X 6,471
+0%
121 Ryzen 9 5900 6,471
+0%
122 Core i9-7960X 6,468
123 Ryzen 9 PRO 5945 6,463
-0.1%
124 Ryzen AI 7 350 6,460
-0.1%
125 Xeon W-3265 6,455
-0.2%
126 Ryzen 7 8845HS 6,453
-0.2%
127 Xeon w5-3425 6,447
-0.3%

View full ranking →

Multicore Score

Multicore performance score for Core i9-7960X based on multi-threaded benchmark results.

6,857 Rank: 115
Rank Name Score Visual
111 Xeon W-3275M 6,885
+0.4%
112 Xeon E5-2679 v4 6,874
+0.2%
113 Xeon Gold 6148 6,859
+0%
114 Xeon Silver 4416+ 6,858
+0%
115 Core i9-7960X 6,857
116 Xeon Gold 6154 6,840
-0.2%
117 Core i9-13900HX 6,819
-0.6%
118 Ryzen 5 9600X 6,792
-0.9%
119 Ryzen 7 7700X 6,791
-1%
120 Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX 6,790
-1%

View full ranking →

Singlecore Score

Single-core performance score for Core i9-7960X based on single-threaded benchmark results.

6,209 Rank: 200
Rank Name Score Visual
196 Zen µarch 6,219
+0.2%
197 Core i9-9920X 6,218
+0.1%
198 Ryzen 7 PRO 6850H 6,217
+0.1%
199 Core i9-10850K 6,214
+0.1%
200 Core i9-7960X 6,209
201 Ryzen 5 5600GT 6,206
+-0%
202 Xeon E-2176G 6,202
-0.1%
203 Core i7-10700KF 6,200
-0.1%
204 Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G 6,200
-0.1%
205 Xeon E-2174G 6,197
-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 i9-7960X based on integer math, floating point math, and prime number computation benchmarks.

5,470 Rank: 187
Rank Name Score Visual
183 Xeon Gold 6230 5,484
+0.3%
184 Ryzen Threadripper 2950X 5,482
+0.2%
185 Xeon E5-4669 v4 5,476
+0.1%
186 Xeon Gold 6240 5,472
+0%
187 Core i9-7960X 5,470
188 Xeon W-2191B 5,468
+-0%
189 Core i9-9940X 5,466
-0.1%
190 Core i9-10940X 5,463
-0.1%
191 Core i9-13900H 5,463
-0.1%
192 Ryzen 7 8700G 5,460
-0.2%

View full ranking →

Data Processing

Aggregated score for Core i9-7960X based on data encryption, data compression, and string sorting benchmarks.

5,649 Rank: 172
Rank Name Score Visual
168 Ryzen 7 7745HX 5,660
+0.2%
169 Xeon Gold 6150 5,657
+0.1%
170 Ryzen 7 8700F 5,657
+0.1%
171 Core i9-9940X 5,654
+0.1%
172 Core i9-7960X 5,649
173 EPYC 7281 5,647
+-0%
174 Xeon W-2195 5,646
-0.1%
175 Core Ultra 9 285H 5,645
-0.1%
176 Core i5-13500 5,631
-0.3%
177 Xeon Platinum 8124M 5,621
-0.5%

View full ranking →

Physics & Compute

Aggregated score for Core i9-7960X based on physics simulation and extended instruction set (SSE/AVX) benchmarks.

5,653 Rank: 149
Rank Name Score Visual
145 Ryzen 5 9600X 5,662
+0.2%
146 Xeon W-3245M 5,657
+0.1%
147 Ryzen 7 PRO 7745 5,657
+0.1%
148 Core i9-9990XE 5,655
+0%
149 Core i9-7960X 5,653
150 Core i9-9940X 5,650
-0.1%
151 EPYC 7601 5,650
-0.1%
152 Core Ultra 7 255H 5,649
-0.1%
153 Xeon W-2195 5,640
-0.2%
154 Xeon Gold 6150 5,639
-0.2%

View full ranking →

Core i9-7960X Details

As of March 2026, the Intel Core i9-7960X remains a high-end desktop processor from the Skylake-X generation, originally launched in September 2017. Though now over six years old, it was positioned as a flagship part for enthusiasts and professionals requiring extreme multi-threaded performance. With a 16-core, 32-thread design and a base frequency of 2.8 GHz, the i9-7960X leverages Intel’s Hyper-Threading technology to deliver impressive parallel processing capabilities. Its turbo frequency reaches up to 4.4 GHz under optimal conditions, making it a strong performer for workloads that benefit from both high single-core speed and broad core count. The processor operates on a 14 nm manufacturing process and uses the LGA-2066 (Socket R4) platform, requiring a compatible chipset such as the Intel X299, often referred to as Lewisburg.

The Core i9-7960X is built around the Skylake microarchitecture, featuring 1 MiB of L1 cache, 16 MiB of L2 cache, and a substantial 22 MiB of L3 cache. It supports quad-channel DDR4-2666 memory, with a maximum capacity of 128 GB and a peak memory bandwidth of 79.47 GB/s. The TDP of 165 W underscores its power-hungry nature, necessitating robust cooling solutions, especially when running at sustained loads. Despite lacking integrated graphics, the CPU provides full PCIe 3.0 support with up to 44 lanes directly from the CPU, enabling high-bandwidth connections for multiple GPUs or high-speed storage devices.

In terms of performance, the Core i9-7960X holds an overall PassMark score of 6,468, ranking #122 among 2,060 processors. Its single-core score of 6,209 places it at #200, while its multicore score of 6,857 lands at #115. These figures indicate that while the processor is no longer competitive with modern CPUs in single-threaded tasks, it remains highly capable in multi-threaded applications. It outperforms many current mainstream processors in tasks such as video encoding, 3D rendering, and scientific simulations, though it trails behind today’s top-tier chips like the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9995WX and Core Ultra 9 285K.

The i9-7960X supports a broad range of advanced instruction sets, including AVX-512, AVX2, and AES-NI, which enhance performance in data-intensive workloads. It also includes Intel’s Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0 and Intel VT-x/VT-d for virtualization, making it suitable for virtual machines and high-performance computing environments. Despite being an older design, its unlocked multiplier allows for straightforward overclocking, appealing to hardware enthusiasts.

Given its age and niche market, the Core i9-7960X is best suited for legacy systems or users who have already invested in the LGA-2066 platform and require a powerful multi-core processor without the need for the latest architectural advancements. While it has been surpassed by newer generations of CPUs, its raw multi-threaded performance still makes it a viable option for certain professional and enthusiast use cases.
Frequently Compared

Intel Xeon E5-2687W 0 9 views

AMD FX-9370 8 views

AMD Ryzen 5 5600G 7 views

AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7985WX 7 views

Intel Xeon X3220 6 views

AMD Athlon 5150 6 views

AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 4650G 5 views

AMD Phenom II X4 B40 5 views

AMD Ryzen 3 1300X 5 views

Intel Xeon E5-2670 v2 5 views

Intel Core i9-7960X

Main Specifications

Designer: Intel
Name: Core i9-7960X
Family: Core
Series: i9-7900
Model Number: i9-7960X
Cores: 16
Threads: 32
Base Frequency: 2800 MHz
Turbo Frequency (1 core): 4200 MHz
Turbo Frequency (2 cores): 4200 MHz
Clock Multiplier: 28x (unlocked)
Microarchitecture: Skylake
Core Name: Skylake
Core Family: 6
Core Model: 85
Socket: Socket
Package: FCLGA-2066
Chipset: Lewisburg
Target Segment: Desktop
Max CPUs: 1
TDP: 165 W
Release Price: $1,699.00

Cache Specifications

L1 Cache: 1024 KiB
L1 Instruction Cache: 512 KiB (8-way set associative)
L1 Data Cache: 512 KiB (8-way set associative)
L2 Cache: 16 MiB (16-way set associative)
L3 Cache: 22 MiB (16-way set associative)

Memory Specifications

Supported Memory Type: DDR4-2666
Memory Channels: 4
Maximum Memory: 128 GB
Maximum Bandwidth: 79.47 GB/s
ECC Support: No

PCI-Express Specifications

PCIe Revision: 3.0
PCIe Lanes: 44
PCIe Configuration: x16, x8, x4

Physical Specifications

Process: 14 nm
Die Area: 484 mm²
Manufacturer: Intel
Technology: CMOS
Word Size: 64-bit
ISA: x86-64 (x86)

CPU Features

MMX EMMX SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE4.1 SSE4.2 AVX AVX2 ABM BMI1 BMI2 FMA3 AES RdRand ADX CLMUL F16C x86-16 x86-32 x86-64 Real Protected SMM FPU NX HT TBT 2.0 EIST TXT VT-x VT-d EPT AVX-512 AVX512F AVX512CD AVX512BW AVX512DQ AVX512VL TSX Flex Memory AVX-512 TBMT 3.0 TBT 1.0 FMA
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