Core i7-4960HQ vs Ryzen 3 1200

Core i7-4960HQ vs Ryzen 3 1200 Performance Spectrum

Core i7-4960HQ

4 / 8

6,370

0.0%

6,407

+0.6%

Athlon II X4 651

Ryzen Embedded R1606G

FX-8320E

Ryzen 3 3300U

Ryzen Threadripper 2920X

Ryzen 9 5900XT

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

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.

Core i7-4960HQ vs Ryzen 3 1200 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core i7-4960HQ vs Ryzen 3 1200: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i7-4960HQ

2013

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +10.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 47W instead of 65W, a 18W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (6,370 vs 6,407).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 3 1200.

Ryzen 3 1200

2017

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Wraith Stealth), unlike Core i7-4960HQ.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-4960HQ across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $109 MSRP, while Core i7-4960HQ mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌38.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 47W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 3 1200 better than Core i7-4960HQ?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-4960HQ is ahead with a 10.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 3 1200 pulls ahead with 0.6% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 3 1200 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Ryzen 3 1200 is the better buy right now. Ryzen 3 1200 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $109 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.6% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i7-4960HQ is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 10.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (58.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 3 1200 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2013) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i7-4960HQ vs Ryzen 3 1200 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core i7-4960HQ

The Core i7-4960HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Crystalwell (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1364. Thermal design power (TDP): 47 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,370 points. Launch price was $657.

Ryzen 3 1200

The Ryzen 3 1200 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Summit Ridge (Zen) (2017) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,407 points. Launch price was $109.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-4960HQ packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Ryzen 3 1200's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i7-4960HQ versus 3.4 GHz on the Ryzen 3 1200 — a 11.1% clock advantage for the Core i7-4960HQ (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core i7-4960HQ uses the Crystalwell (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Ryzen 3 1200 uses Summit Ridge (Zen) (2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-4960HQ scores 6,370 against the Ryzen 3 1200's 6,407 — a 0.6% lead for the Ryzen 3 1200. Both processors carry 8 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Core i7-4960HQ	Ryzen 3 1200
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz+12%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3.1 GHz+19%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	22 nm	14 nm-36%
Architecture	Crystalwell (2013−2014)	Summit Ridge (Zen) (2017)
PassMark	6,370	6,407
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	3,013
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,000
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	3,000

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-4960HQ uses the BGA1364 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 3 1200 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.