Intel has the answer for fastest computer processor.

Intel has always been making quality processors, so when we heard about the core 97 3960X, we just had to write a review. The 3960X is meant to challenge overclocking enthusiast and see how far they can push the processor. This core i7 chip features 6 cores, and is made on 32nm silicon. It’s still a Sandy Bridge processor, just a couple of extra perks. With this new processor, we are expected to buy a LGA 2011 socket motherboard, yes a new motherboard. Most of these boards can cost anywhere from $250 to $550. Definitely not a light investment. Don’t forget the processor itself can cost damn near $2000. With this E line of Sandy Bridge processors, there will be 3 new processors. The 3960x, the 3930k and the 3820. Let’s check out some specs.

fastest computer processor

The 3820 only has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the other 2 processors have 6 cores with 12 threads. The Cache is also a big difference here. All 3 cache levels are effected by which processor you choose, so if you’re gonna fork over the money to buy the 3930, you might as well buy the 3960, there’s no point in being second to first.  Don’t forget the 3820 has a locked multiplier, so you can’t really push it past 4Ghz.

fastest computer processor

Lets start off by checking a CPU-Z screenshot, the Max Turbo feature has put the speed of the CPU at 3.6 Ghz, the normal speed is 3.3 Ghz, but that doesn’t matter, as we will be overclocking.

Overclocking to find which is the fastest computer processor

fastest computer processor

Some basic tips when overclocking from bios are as followed.

• Don’t change the baseclock, focus on other features.
• Increase the power draw of the processor, somewhere around 200 Watts is reasonable.
• Keep the base multiplier at a reasonable number, say around 34.
• Find the Turbo multiplier (per core) and set it as high as possible, which is 40 to 50 for all your cores.
• Increase the voltage of the CPU, try not to use Auto, find something thats reasonable, say 1.4-1.5 on all cores.
• Make sure you installed the heatsink and thermal paste right, you don’t want bad temps.

If you’ve followed these settings, anything from 4-4.7 Ghz should be easy! Crazy how just a few years ago 3 Ghz was great for overclocking. There’s just something so addicting about overclocking. Remember when overclocking, always use a CPU stresser for at least 6 hours to make sure your processor is stable. The CPU can get as hot as 80C but don’t get scared. Also don’t forget we had all 6 scores enabled, non disabled for overclocking.

In 3dMark Vantage (CPU SCORE) the 97 3960X overclocked scores 50k, a crazy number. Lets check out some transcoding scores.

fastest computer processor

In video transcoding the i7 3960x shines.  Just by overclocking it to 5Ghz we see almost a double increase in FPS transcoding. AMD still lacks in this area. However these other processors aren’t overclocked so we can’t truly get a real score.  Video transcoding favors CPU cores thats how we were able to beat the i7 980X, this processor is really impressive. Let’s check out some game benchmarks.

fastest computer processor

Crysis 2 has always been my favorite game, I love benchmarking this. We use DirectX 11 and some high resolution pack to make sure we get the best graphics.  We use Extreme Quality and keep the AA at 4x. The FPS is very impressive. Although we used a GTX 580, its crazy to see how much of a difference a CPU can make in FPS rendering. At big resolutions we see a graphics card bottleneck, however at low resolutions we truly see the i7-3960X achieve some great results. The whole i7 series beats AMD by more than 20 FPS in low resolutions, what’s going on AMD? Things like this shouldn’t be allowed, AMD needs some optimization.

Concluding on the fastest computer processor.

Is it worth getting a whole new motherboard just to use this processor? Maybe not. Most enthusiast aren’t as wealthy as they’d like to be, so maybe we’ll hold off on buying a whole new system for now. However if you do have the money. Believe me I wish I did, I would definitely get this processor. There’s nothing wrong with a overclocked i5 core processor though. Removing the whole graphics architecture from the i7 line really gave these processors a boost. Let’s not forget how easy it was to overclock this processor. With Ivy Bridge around the corner this processor might become obsolete. However for now, you won’t have to wonder which is thefastest computer processor, because the i7-3960X is clearly it. If however the i7 is too pricey for you, as it is for 99% of people, check out how you can get the same performance at a fraction of the cost.

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