Intel’s 2.5GHz Core i9-7960X 16-Core, 32-Thread HEDT Processor Makes Geekbench Debut
Given that the release of these processors should be occurring over the next few months, we’re starting to see more leaks, with the latest surrounding the Core i9-7960X. This 16-core part has made its way to Geekbench, which allows us to compare its relative performance to the already released Core i9-7900X and the soon-to-be-released AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X.
One of the first things to jump to our attention is the clock speed of the processor. We’ve already seen that the Core i9-7920X took a huge hit in its base frequency compared to the Core i9-7900X (coming in at 2.9GHz versus 3.3GHz), and the Core i9-7960X is no different. It has an alleged base frequency of just 2.5GHz. While it’s possible that this relatively low base clock is a result of this being an engineering sample, it could also just be a byproduct of there being 16-cores that have to be kept in check.
The Geekbench result also confirms that the processor has 22.5MB L3 cache, and that it was running on an ASUS Prime X299 Deluxe motherboard with 32GB of DDR4 memory installed. When it comes to actual performance numbers, the Core i9-7960X was able to put up a single-core score of 5238 and a multi-core score of 33672.
For comparison, the Core i9-7900X is able to put up a strong showing with single- and multi-core scores of 5535 and 34127 respectively. Looking at these numbers, we can only hope that this engineering sample was having a “bad day” rather than it being reflective of what production performance will be like. After all, the Core i9-7960X will be a $1,699 processor compared to “just” $999 for the Core i9-7900X.
We don’t want to leave AMD out of the equation, so here are Geekbench results from the 16-core Ryzen Threadripper 1950X:
The second half of 2017 is definitely going to be interest when it comes to the high-end desktop (HEDT) market, with Core X and Ryzen Threadripper both vying for the attention (and dollars) of the enthusiast community. Stay tuned for more in this market segment, as we’ll have more details on Ryzen Threadripper in the coming days.
