Intel Core i7-860 vs Intel Core i7-960

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Core i7-860 compared with Core i7-960

	IntelCore i7-860	IntelCore i7-960
Overview
Released
Released	September 2009	October 2009
Cores and clocks
Cores
Cores	4	4
Threads
Threads	8	8
Base clock
Base clock	2.8 GHz	3.2 GHz
Boost clock
Boost clock	3.46 GHz	3.46 GHz
L3 cache
L3 cache	8 MB	8 MB
Cores
Cores	Four cores and eight threads with Hyper-Threading. Alphr’s exact review explicitly lists the clock multiplier as locked.	Four cores and eight threads with Hyper-Threading. Hardware-Magazin's exact-model introduction explicitly describes a fixed multiplier; base-clock overclocking remains possible.
Clocks
Clocks	2.80 GHz base; up to 3.46 GHz with one core active, 3.33 GHz with two and 2.93 GHz with four, per Intel’s exact embedded brief. Intel’s 8 September 2009 launch states availability that day and names the 860 in its table.	3.2 GHz base and up to 3.46 GHz Turbo Boost. Intel lists Q4 2009. The October on-sale month uses Tom's Hardware Italia's 20 October 2009 availability report and TweakTown's 21 October report of a listed OEM chip. Japan's boxed retail availability followed in February 2010.
Cache
Cache	8 MB shared L3 cache.	8 MB shared L3 cache.
Graphics and AI
Built-in graphics
Built-in graphics	No	No
Graphics
Graphics	Intel’s exact-model comparison chart lists no processor graphics.	Intel's exact-model comparison chart lists no processor graphics.
Platform
Socket
Socket	LGA1156	LGA1366
Base power
Base power	95 W	130 W
Unlocked
Unlocked	No	No
Cooler in the box
Cooler in the box	–	Yes
Memory support
Memory support	Two channels of DDR3-1066/1333 in Intel’s exact embedded product brief.	Three channels of DDR3-800 or DDR3-1066; up to 24 GB in Intel's 45 nm Core i7-900 datasheet. Faster memory used by reviews is not the maker's rated limit.
PCIe
PCIe	16 PCIe 2.0 lanes, configurable as one ×16 or two ×8 links; DMI connects the chipset, according to Intel’s launch and embedded brief.	–
Process
Process	45 nm; Lynnfield. Intel’s launch names the P55 platform.	45 nm; Bloomfield.
Cooler
Cooler	–	Intel's boxed-processor datasheet includes an unattached fan and heatsink. An LGA1366 motherboard is required.