Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition vs Ryzen 5 7235HS

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition

6 / 12

12,460

+0.7%

12,379

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5965WX

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

About PassMark

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition is positioned at rank 951 and the Ryzen 5 7235HS is on rank 187, so the Ryzen 5 7235HS offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition

#1

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

24759%

#2

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

23395%

#3

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

16986%

#4

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

5117%

#5

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

4053%

#6

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

3546%

#7

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

2031%

#8

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

2004%

#9

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1825%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1825%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1805%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1756%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1731%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1724%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1709%

#951

Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition

MSRP: $990|Avg: $150

100%

#952

Celeron E1200

MSRP: $53|Avg: $98

100%

#954

Core i5-660

MSRP: $196|Avg: $150

99%

#955

Athlon II X2 250

MSRP: $87|Avg: $15

99%

#956

Core i3-2120T

MSRP: $127|Avg: $38

98%

#957

Phenom II X3 720

MSRP: $130|Avg: $64

98%

#958

Pentium E6300

MSRP: $84|Avg: $15

98%

#959

Core i5-661

MSRP: $196|Avg: $40

97%

#960

Core i3-4150

MSRP: $281|Avg: $70

96%

#961

Core i5-750

MSRP: $210|Avg: $30

96%

#962

Core i3-2100T

MSRP: $127|Avg: $127

96%

#963

Pentium E2210

MSRP: $84|Avg: $15

95%

#964

Core i3-560

MSRP: $138|Avg: $10

95%

#965

Core i3-550

MSRP: $138|Avg: $5

94%

#966

Core i7-980

MSRP: $583|Avg: $50

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 7235HS

#175

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

356%

#176

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

350%

#177

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

322%

#178

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

320%

#179

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

317%

#181

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

306%

#182

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

294%

#183

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

293%

#184

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

285%

#187

Ryzen 5 7235HS

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#193

Atom N475

MSRP: $75|Avg: N/A

98%

#194

Pentium Gold 4417U

MSRP: $161|Avg: N/A

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Ryzen 5 7235HS (2023) utilizes 6 nm technology and DDR5, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition	Ryzen 5 7235HS
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($150)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	✨ Modern (Rembrandt-R (2023−2025) / 6 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition (2011) relies on 32 nm technology and older memory, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition	Ryzen 5 7235HS
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($150)	✅ More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

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 i7-3960X Extreme Edition Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 7235HS Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition and Ryzen 5 7235HS

Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition

The Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 November 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Max frequency: 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 15 MB. L2 cache: 1,536 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 12,460 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 5 7235HS

The Ryzen 5 7235HS is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Rembrandt-R (2023−2025) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FP7. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 12,379 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7235HS offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7235HS — a 24% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7235HS. The Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7235HS uses Rembrandt-R (2023−2025) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition scores 12,460 against the Ryzen 5 7235HS's 12,379 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition. L3 cache: 15 MB on the Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition vs 8 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7235HS.

Feature	Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition	Ryzen 5 7235HS
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.3 GHz	4.2 GHz+27%
Base Clock	—	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	15 MB+88%	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1,536 kB+200%	512 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	6 nm-81%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Rembrandt-R (2023−2025)
PassMark	12,460	12,379
Geekbench 6 Single	800	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition) / not specified (Ryzen 5 7235HS). Primary use case: Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition targets HEDT Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition rivals FX-8350.