Core i7-3960X vs EPYC 8324PN
Core i7-3960X
EPYC 8324PN
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 is positioned at rank 1024 and the EPYC 8324PN is on rank 613, so the EPYC 8324PN offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3960X
Performance Per Dollar EPYC 8324PN
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-3960X | EPYC 8324PN |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($60) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Siena (2023−2024) / 5 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-3960X | EPYC 8324PN |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($60) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-3960X and EPYC 8324PN
Core i7-3960X
The Core i7-3960X 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 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 15 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: 8,402 points. Launch price was $861.
EPYC 8324PN
The EPYC 8324PN is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 18 September 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Siena (2023−2024) architecture. It features 32 cores and 64 threads. Base frequency is 2.05 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 128 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: SP6. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 8,375 points. Launch price was $2,125.
Processing Power
The Core i7-3960X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the EPYC 8324PN offers 32 cores / 64 threads — the EPYC 8324PN has 26 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core i7-3960X versus 3 GHz on the EPYC 8324PN — a 26.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-3960X (base: 3.3 GHz vs 2.05 GHz). The Core i7-3960X uses the Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the EPYC 8324PN uses Siena (2023−2024) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-3960X scores 8,402 against the EPYC 8324PN's 8,375 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i7-3960X. L3 cache: 15 MB (total) on the Core i7-3960X vs 128 MB (total) on the EPYC 8324PN.
| Feature | Core i7-3960X | EPYC 8324PN |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 12 | 32 / 64+433% |
| Boost Clock | 3.9 GHz+30% | 3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.3 GHz+61% | 2.05 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 15 MB (total) | 128 MB (total)+753% |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 1 MB (per core)+300% |
| Process | 32 nm | 5 nm-84% |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) | Siena (2023−2024) |
| PassMark | 8,402 | 8,375 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 658 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 4,973 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-3960X uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the EPYC 8324PN uses SP6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-3960X | EPYC 8324PN |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | SP6 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 4.0+100% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 4 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 40 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: Yes (Core i7-3960X) / not specified (EPYC 8324PN).
| Feature | Core i7-3960X | EPYC 8324PN |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
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