PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-1130G7

2020

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 130W, a 115W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-3930K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).

Core i7-3930K

2011

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (8,204 vs 8,261).
❌Launch MSRP is still $583 MSRP, while Core i5-1130G7 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌766.7% higher power demand at 130W vs 15W.

Core i5-1130G7

2020

Core i7-3930K

2011

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 130W, a 115W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-3930K across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (8 MB vs 12 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (8,204 vs 8,261).
❌Launch MSRP is still $583 MSRP, while Core i5-1130G7 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌766.7% higher power demand at 130W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-1130G7 better than Core i7-3930K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Core i7-3930K is ahead with a 8.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-1130G7 pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark. Core i7-3930K also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 8 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-1130G7 is the better fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i5-1130G7 is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Core i5-1130G7 is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $583 MSRP, and it gives you 0.7% better PassMark. Core i7-3930K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2011 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (14.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA2011.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-1130G7 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2011) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 8 threads instead of 6/12. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Core i5-1130G7 Benchmark Check

Core i7-3930K Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-1130G7	Core i7-3930K
1080p
low	183 FPS	162 FPS
medium	149 FPS	139 FPS
high	121 FPS	112 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	92 FPS
1440p
low	149 FPS	136 FPS
medium	117 FPS	115 FPS
high	93 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	72 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	62 FPS
medium	59 FPS	56 FPS
high	47 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	37 FPS	35 FPS

Open Core i5-1130G7 Open Core i7-3930K

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-1130G7	Core i7-3930K
1080p
low	131 FPS	205 FPS
medium	112 FPS	186 FPS
high	103 FPS	171 FPS
ultra	81 FPS	138 FPS
1440p
low	113 FPS	189 FPS
medium	98 FPS	164 FPS
high	91 FPS	152 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	127 FPS
4K
low	88 FPS	163 FPS
medium	80 FPS	143 FPS
high	67 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	52 FPS	94 FPS

Open Core i5-1130G7 Open Core i7-3930K

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-1130G7	Core i7-3930K
1080p
low	207 FPS	205 FPS
medium	207 FPS	205 FPS
high	207 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	205 FPS
1440p
low	207 FPS	205 FPS
medium	207 FPS	205 FPS
high	207 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	205 FPS
4K
low	207 FPS	205 FPS
medium	207 FPS	205 FPS
high	207 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	205 FPS

Open Core i5-1130G7 Open Core i7-3930K

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-1130G7	Core i7-3930K
1080p
low	207 FPS	205 FPS
medium	207 FPS	205 FPS
high	207 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	205 FPS
1440p
low	207 FPS	205 FPS
medium	207 FPS	205 FPS
high	207 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	205 FPS
4K
low	207 FPS	205 FPS
medium	207 FPS	205 FPS
high	207 FPS	205 FPS
ultra	207 FPS	205 FPS

Open Core i5-1130G7 Open Core i7-3930K

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-1130G7 and Core i7-3930K

Core i5-1130G7

The Core i5-1130G7 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 September 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Tiger Lake-UP4 (2020−2021) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm SuperFin process technology. Socket: FCBGA1598. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 8,261 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i7-3930K

The Core i7-3930K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 November 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 8,204 points. Launch price was $611.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-1130G7 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i7-3930K offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Core i7-3930K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i5-1130G7 versus 3.8 GHz on the Core i7-3930K — a 5.1% clock advantage for the Core i5-1130G7 (base: 1.1 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i5-1130G7 uses the Tiger Lake-UP4 (2020−2021) architecture (10 nm SuperFin), while the Core i7-3930K uses Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-1130G7 scores 8,261 against the Core i7-3930K's 8,204 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i5-1130G7. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i5-1130G7 vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-3930K.

Feature	Core i5-1130G7	Core i7-3930K
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	4 GHz+5%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	1.1 GHz	3.2 GHz+191%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	12 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	1.25 MB (per core)+400%	256 kB (per core)
Process	10 nm SuperFin-69%	32 nm
Architecture	Tiger Lake-UP4 (2020−2021)	Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013)
PassMark	8,261	8,204
Geekbench 6 Single	—	731

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-1130G7 uses the FCBGA1598 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i7-3930K uses LGA2011 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-1130G7	Core i7-3930K
Socket	FCBGA1598	LGA2011
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+100%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	4
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	40

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i5-1130G7) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-3930K). Primary use case: Core i7-3930K targets HEDT Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i7-3930K rivals FX-8350.