Core i7-4960X vs Core i7-11390H

The Core i7-4960X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Core i7-11390H offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-4960X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i7-4960X versus 5 GHz on the Core i7-11390H — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-11390H (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core i7-4960X uses the Ivy Bridge-E (2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core i7-11390H uses Tiger Lake-H35 (2021) (10 nm SuperFin). In PassMark, the Core i7-4960X scores 9,935 against the Core i7-11390H's 9,798 — a 1.4% lead for the Core i7-4960X. L3 cache: 15 MB (total) on the Core i7-4960X vs 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-11390H.

The Core i7-4960X uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-11390H uses FCBGA1449 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1866 on the Core i7-4960X versus DDR4-3200 on the Core i7-11390H — the Core i7-11390H supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 64 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 4 (Core i7-4960X) vs 2 (Core i7-11390H). PCIe lanes: 40 (Core i7-4960X) vs 20 (Core i7-11390H) — the Core i7-4960X offers 20 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Only the Core i7-4960X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Core i7-11390H supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-4960X) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-11390H). The Core i7-11390H includes integrated graphics (Iris Xe Graphics 96EU), while the Core i7-4960X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-4960X targets Desktop, Core i7-11390H targets Thin & Light Gaming Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i7-11390H rivals Ryzen 7 5800U.