Intel Core i3-4370T vs Intel Core i7-960 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-960 wins every recorded benchmark comparison outright. The recorded data shows a clean sweep: 5 benchmark wins for the i7-960, 0 for the Core i3-4370T. This is a narrow victory in every test, but the consistency matters. In multi-threaded workloads, the i7-960 leads by 1% in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 multicore runs. In single-threaded tests, it wins by margins of 0.6% to 1%. The i3-4370T simply does not take a single category.

That said, the use-case split is not about one chip dominating a workload class by a wide margin. The i7-960's advantage comes from its 4 cores and 8 threads versus the i3-4370T's 2 cores and 4 threads. In heavily threaded rendering tasks, the i7-960's extra threads provide a slight but repeatable edge. The i3-4370T, with its higher base clock of 3.30 GHz versus 3.20 GHz, closes the gap in single-threaded scenarios but still loses each single-core test by roughly 1%.

For workloads that lean on integrated graphics, the i3-4370T is the only option, as it includes Intel HD 4600 while the i7-960 has none. For workloads that depend on raw CPU thread count, the i7-960 is the pick. The data does not support calling the i3-4370T a winner anywhere, but it does show a much lower power envelope, 35 W versus 130 W, which matters in compact builds.

The percentile rankings reinforce this closeness. The i7- sits at the 27th percentile among all CPUs, while the i3-4370T sits at the 26th percentile. The average benchmark score of 993 for the i7-960 and 983 for the i3-4370T places them within 1% of each other overall. Rivals such as the i7-965 and Xeon W3565 match the i7-960 at a 0% delta, while the i3-4370T's nearest rival list similarly shows the Xeon X3470 at a 0% delta.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap spans generations of Intel silicon. The i7-960 is built on Intel's 45 nm process with 731 million transistors on a 263 mm² die, using the Nehalem architecture with the Bloomfield codename. The i3-4370T uses the much newer 22 nm node with 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die, using the Haswell architecture. The i3-4370T's smaller die size packs more transistors per area, a generational advantage in efficiency.

Cache configurations differ sharply. Both chips share 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, but the i7-960 has 8 MB of shared L3 while the i3-4370T has 4 MB of shared L3. The i7-960's larger L3 cache is a direct consequence of its older, larger design and four physical cores. The i3-4370T's smaller L3 fits its dual-core layout.

Memory support diverges as well. Both support DDR3, but the i7-960 uses triple-channel memory while the i3-4370T uses dual-channel. The i3-4370T has a recorded memory bandwidth of 16 GB/s, a figure not available for the i7-960. PCIe generations differ: the i7-960 supports Gen 2, the i3-4370T supports Gen 3 with 16 lanes.

The i3-4370T includes integrated graphics, the Intel HD 4600, while the i7-960 has no integrated graphics at all. The i7-960's base clock is 3.20 GHz with a boost of 3.47 GHz; the i3-4370T runs at 3.30 GHz with no boost clock listed. Neither chip has an unlocked multiplier. The i7-960 targets the Socket 1366 platform, the i3-4370T uses Socket 1150. The i7-960 was released in 2009, the i3-4370T in 2015, a six-year gap in design philosophy.

Both CPUs are end-of-life production parts. The i7-960 has a TDP of 130 W, the i3-4370T of 35 W, a 95 W difference that reflects the node and core count disparity.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multicore test gives the i7-960 a score of 290 against the i3-4370T's 287, a 1% delta. In the R20 multicore test, the i7-960 scores 1211 versus 1199, again a 1% margin. The R23 multicore run shows 2885 for the i7-960 and 2856 for the i3-4370T, also 1%. These margins are small, but they hold across three different Cinebench versions, indicating the i7-960's thread advantage is real and consistent.

Single-threaded results are closer still. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the i7-960 scores 170 against 169, a 0.6% delta. In R23 single-core, the i7-960 scores 407 against 403, a 1% delta. The i3-4370T's higher base clock of 3.30 GHz nearly offsets the i7-960's older architecture in per-thread performance, but not quite.

The biggest win for the i7-960 is the R23 multicore test, where its 2885 score beats the i3-4370T's 2856 by 29 points. The smallest win is the R20 single-core test, a single-point difference. The i3-4370T never comes out ahead in any recorded metric, but its deficiencies are measured in single digits or low double digits, not large margins.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i7-960 wins all three multicore tests, Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, by 1% each time. Its multicore scores are 290, 1211, and 2885 respectively, against the i3-4370T's 287, 1199, and 2856.

Q: Is the i3-4370T better in single-core performance?

A: No. The i3-4370T loses the Cinebench R20 single-core test 169 to 170 and the R23 single-core test 403 to 407, despite its higher base clock of 3.30 GHz versus the i7-960's 3.20 GHz.

Q: What is the difference in power consumption?

A: The i7-960 has a TDP of 130 W, while the i3-4370T has a TDP of 35 W. The i3-4370T draws significantly less power, a difference of 95 W.

**Q: Which CPU supports integrated graphics, and which does not?

A: The i3-4370T includes Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics. The i7-960 has no integrated graphics.

Q: How do their memory buses differ?

A: The i7-960 uses triple-channel DDR3 memory, while the i3-4370T uses dual-channel DDR3 memory. The i3-4370T has a recorded memory bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s; no bandwidth figure is recorded for the i7-960.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The i7-960 has 4 cores and 8 threads. The i3-4370T has 2 cores and 4 threads.

The Verdict

The data points to the Intel Core i7-960 for any workload that benefits from more threads. It wins every benchmark, albeit by margins of 1% or less. Its 4 cores and 8 threads, combined with 8 MB of L3 cache, give it a slight but universal edge over the i3-4370T's 2 cores, 4 threads, and 4 MB of L3 cache. In rendering tasks across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, the i7-960's higher scores are consistent and repeatable.

The i3-4370T, however, is the better choice for scenarios where power efficiency and integrated graphics matter. Its 35 W TDP against the i7-960's 130 W makes it suitable for low-power or compact systems. The included Intel HD 4600 eliminates the need for a discrete graphics card for basic display output, something the i7-960 cannot offer. Its newer 22 nm process and smaller 177 mm² die also indicate a more modern design.

For a user prioritizing raw compute throughput, the i7-960 is the clear winner in the recorded benchmarks. For a user prioritizing low power draw and integrated display capabilities, the i3-4370T has structural advantages that the i7-960 lacks. The verdict is not about which CPU is "faster" in a general sense, both are within 1% of each other in every test, but about which trade-offs matter more for a specific build.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in core count, thread count, base clock, boost clock, TDP, socket, architecture, process node, transistor count, die size, L3 cache size, memory bus, memory bandwidth, PCIe generation, integrated graphics, and average benchmark score. The i7-960 has 4 cores and 8 threads, the i3-4370T has 2 cores and 4 threads. The i7-960's base clock is 3.20 GHz with a boost of 3.47 GHz, the i3-4370T's base clock is 3.30 GHz with no boost clock listed. The i7-960's TDP is 130 W, the i3-4370T's is 35 W. The i7-960 uses Socket 1366, the i3-4370T uses Socket 1150. The i7-960 is built on 45 nm with 731 million transistors and a 263 mm² die, the i3-4370T on 22 nm with 1,400 million transistors and a 177 mm² die. The i7-960 has 8 MB of shared L3 cache, the i3-4370T has 4 MB. The i7-960 uses triple-channel memory, the i3-4370T uses dual-channel memory with a recorded bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. The i7-960 supports PCIe Gen 2, the i3-4370T supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes. The i3-4370T includes Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics, the i7-960 has none. The i7-960's average benchmark score is 993, the i3-4370T's is 983. The i7-960 sits at the 27th percentile of all CPUs, the i3-4370T at the 26th.