Intel Core i7-960 vs Intel Core i7-980X Extreme Edition

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

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Core i7-960 compared with Core i7-980X Extreme Edition

	IntelCore i7-960	IntelCore i7-980X Extreme Edition
Overview
Released
Released	October 2009	March 2010
Cores and clocks
Cores
Cores	4	6 (better)
Threads
Threads	8	12 (better)
Base clock
Base clock	3.2 GHz	3.33 GHz
Boost clock
Boost clock	3.46 GHz	3.6 GHz (better)
L3 cache
L3 cache	8 MB	12 MB (better)
Cores
Cores	Four cores and eight threads with Hyper-Threading. Hardware-Magazin's exact-model introduction explicitly describes a fixed multiplier; base-clock overclocking remains possible.	Six cores and twelve threads with Hyper-Threading; unlocked multiplier confirmed by bit-tech’s exact review.
Clocks
Clocks	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.	3.33 GHz base and up to 3.6 GHz Turbo Boost. Intel’s 16 March 2010 release states availability that day; the earlier 11 March review embargo was not the sale date.
Cache
Cache	8 MB shared L3 cache.	12 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	LGA1366	LGA1366
Base power
Base power	130 W	130 W
Unlocked
Unlocked	No	Yes
Cooler in the box
Cooler in the box	Yes	Yes
Memory support
Memory support	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.	Three-channel DDR3; Intel’s exact-model chart specifies DDR3-1066. bit-tech’s review lists DDR3-1333, so the maker’s rated figure is retained.
PCIe
PCIe	–	6.4 GT/s QPI in Intel’s exact WX58BP processor compatibility table. PCIe is supplied through the platform chipset.
Process
Process	45 nm; Bloomfield.	32 nm; Gulftown.
Cooler
Cooler	Intel's boxed-processor datasheet includes an unattached fan and heatsink. An LGA1366 motherboard is required.	Intel's 32 nm Core i7-900 datasheet includes an unattached fan heatsink with boxed processors. Tray and second-hand packages may differ.