Core i7-5960X vs Core 3 100U
Core i7-5960X
Core 3 100U
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-5960X
Performance Per Dollar Core 3 100U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-5960X | Core 3 100U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($83) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell-E (2014) / 22 nm) | ✨ Modern (Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) / 10 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-5960X | Core 3 100U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($83) | ✅ 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 i7-5960X and Core 3 100U
Core i7-5960X
The Core i7-5960X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell-E (2014) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 20 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 13,382 points. Launch price was $999.
Core 3 100U
The Core 3 100U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2024 (1 year ago). It is based on the Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) architecture. It features 6 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.2 GHz, with boost up to 4.7 GHz. L3 cache: 10 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1744. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200, DDR4-3200, LPDDR4X-4267. Passmark benchmark score: 13,312 points. Launch price was $426.
Processing Power
The Core i7-5960X packs 8 cores / 16 threads, while the Core 3 100U offers 6 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-5960X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Core i7-5960X versus 4.7 GHz on the Core 3 100U — a 29.3% clock advantage for the Core 3 100U (base: 3 GHz vs 1.2 GHz). The Core i7-5960X uses the Haswell-E (2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Core 3 100U uses Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-5960X scores 13,382 against the Core 3 100U's 13,312 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i7-5960X. L3 cache: 20 MB (total) on the Core i7-5960X vs 10 MB (total) on the Core 3 100U.
| Feature | Core i7-5960X | Core 3 100U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 16+33% | 6 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3.5 GHz | 4.7 GHz+34% |
| Base Clock | 3 GHz+150% | 1.2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 20 MB (total)+100% | 10 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core)+400% |
| Process | 22 nm | 10 nm-55% |
| Architecture | Haswell-E (2014) | Raptor Lake-U Refresh (2024) |
| PassMark | 13,382 | 13,312 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 9,720 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,244 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 7,412 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-5960X uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core 3 100U uses FCBGA1744 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-5960X | Core 3 100U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA2011 | FCBGA1744 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 5.0+67% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2133 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 4 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 40 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: Yes (Core i7-5960X) / not specified (Core 3 100U).
| Feature | Core i7-5960X | Core 3 100U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
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