AMD FX-8120 vs Intel Core i7-4960X. Specifications, performance, tests

Comprehensive background on the processors being compared, detailing their series, generation, and targeted market segment.

• Segment
  Desktop / Server Desktop / Server
• Family
  AMD FX Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition
• Generation
  2 4
• CPU group
  AMD FX-8000 Intel Core i 4000X

Essential parameters including the number of cores, threads, base and turbo frequencies, and cache size. These metrics provide insight into the processor’s speed—higher values generally indicate better performance.

• Frequency
  3.10 GHz 3.60 GHz
• CPU Cores
  8 6
• Turbo (1 Core)
  4.00 GHz 4.00 GHz
• CPU Threads
  8 12
• Hyperthreading
  No Yes
• Overclocking
  Yes Yes
• Core architecture
  normal normal

The integrated graphics (iGPU) do not influence the CPU performance significantly; they serve as a substitute for a dedicated graphics card in the absence of one or are utilized in mobile devices.

• GPU name
  no iGPU no iGPU
• GPU (Turbo)
  No turbo No turbo

This section details the built-in codecs used for encoding and decoding media content, which significantly enhance processing speed and efficiency.

• h265 / HEVC (8 bit)
  No No
• h265 / HEVC (10 bit)
  No No
• h264
  No No
• VP9
  No No
• VP8
  No No
• AV1
  No No
• AVC
  No No
• VC-1
  No No
• JPEG
  No No

Overview of the types and quantities of RAM supported by Intel Core i7-4960X and AMD FX-8120. The supported memory frequencies may vary depending on the motherboard configuration.

• Memory type
  DDR3-1866 DDR3-1866
• ECC
  Yes No
• Memory channels
  2 4
• PCIe version
  3.0
• PCIe lanes
  40

• AES-NI
  Yes Yes

Analyze the TDP (Thermal Design Power) requirements of AMD FX-8120 and Intel Core i7-4960X to make an informed decision on the appropriate cooling system. Remember that TDP refers to thermal watts, not electrical watts.

• TDP (PL1)
  95 W 130 W

Information on architecture, interfaces, and additional instructions supported by AMD FX-8120 and Intel Core i7-4960X, including virtual machine technologies and fabrication processes.

• Instruction set (ISA)
  x86-64 (64 bit) x86-64 (64 bit)
• Virtualization
  AMD-V VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d
• ISA extensions
  SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX, FMA3, FMA4 SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX
• L3-Cache
  8.00 MB 15.00 MB
• Architecture
  Vishera (Bulldozer) Ivy Bridge E
• Technology
  32 nm 22 nm
• Socket
  AM3+ LGA 2011
• Release date
  Q2/2012 Q3/2013