Intel Core i7-960 vs Intel Xeon X3470 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data is remarkably consistent: the Intel Core i7-960 wins every single recorded head-to-head comparison against the Intel Xeon X3470, though by narrow margins. Across five Cinebench tests, the Core i7-960 leads by 0.6% to 1%, with the largest gap appearing in Cinebench R23 single-core (407 versus 403, a 1% advantage). The Xeon X3470 does not register a single win in the recorded comparisons.

The Core i7-960 is the choice for anyone prioritizing raw benchmark performance, even if the margins are slim. Its average benchmark score of 993 places it at the 27th percentile of all CPUs, while the Xeon X3470 sits at 983 and the 26th percentile. The Xeon X3470, however, brings capabilities the Core i7-960 lacks: error-correcting memory (ECC) support, a lower 95 W TDP, and a dual-channel memory bus with a recorded 21.3 GB/s bandwidth figure. The Core i7-960, by contrast, uses a triple-channel memory bus, has no ECC support, and draws 130 W.

For a desktop user who wants the highest recorded Cinebench scores, the Core i7-960 is the straightforward pick. For a server or workstation environment where memory integrity and lower power draw matter, the Xeon X3470 offers the platform-level features that the benchmark averages do not capture. The data indicates a virtual tie in compute performance, so the deciding factor rests on platform requirements rather than raw speed.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the Nehalem architecture and the 45 nm process node, but they diverge in almost every physical detail. The Core i7-960, codenamed Bloomfield, uses the Intel Socket 1366 platform, while the Xeon X3470, codenamed Lynnfield, uses Intel Socket 1156. This socket difference is fundamental: the two chips are not interchangeable in a motherboard.

The transistor counts and die sizes differ as well. The Core i7-960 packs 731 million transistors on a 263 mm² die, while the Xeon X3470 contains 774 million transistors on a 296 mm² die. Despite the Xeon's larger transistor budget, both chips feature identical cache hierarchies: 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache.

Clock speeds tell a more nuanced story. The Core i7-960 has a higher base clock at 3.20 GHz compared to the Xeon's 2.93 GHz, but the Xeon X3470 boosts higher, reaching 3.60 GHz against the Core i7-960's 3.47 GHz. This explains why the benchmark gaps are so small: the Xeon's higher boost clock compensates for its lower base frequency in lightly threaded workloads, while the Core i7-960's higher base clock helps in sustained multi-core loads.

Memory architecture separates the two clearly. The Core i7-960 runs a triple-channel DDR3 memory bus with no ECC support, while the Xeon X3470 runs a dual-channel DDR3 bus with ECC memory support and a measured 21.3 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The Xeon's PCIe implementation is also different: it offers Gen 2 with 16 lanes from the CPU only, whereas the Core i7-960's PCIe configuration is not specified in the recorded data beyond Gen 2.

The market segments reflect different design intents. The Core i7-960 is a desktop part, locked multiplier, released on October 19, 2009. The Xeon X3470 is a server or workstation part, also locked, released earlier on September 7, 2009. Both are end-of-life products, and neither includes integrated graphics.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded data shows a clean sweep for the Core i7-960, but the margins are almost negligible. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Core i7-960 scores 290 against the Xeon's 287, a 1% advantage. Cinebench R20 multi-core repeats the pattern: 1211 versus 1199, again a 1% lead. The R23 multi-core test shows 2885 against 2857, still a 1% difference.

Single-core results are even tighter. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Core i7-960 posts 170 versus 169, a 0.6% lead, the smallest margin in the entire comparison. Cinebench R23 single-core gives the Core i7-960 407 against the Xeon's 403, a 1% edge.

These numbers tell a consistent story: the two processors are effectively identical in compute throughput, with the Core i7-960 holding a marginal but repeatable advantage across every test. The delta percentages never exceed 1%, which means a user would be hard-pressed to notice the difference in real-world applications. The average benchmark scores reinforce this, with the Core i7-960 at 993 and the Xeon X3470 at 983, a difference of roughly 1%.

The nearest rivals for each chip further contextualize their performance. The Core i7-960 matches the Intel Core i7-965, AMD Phenom II X6 1065T, and Intel Xeon W3565 exactly at 993 average score, and trails the Intel Core i3-8130U by a negligible 0.1%. The Xeon X3470 ties the Intel Core i3-4370T at 983, sits 0.1% behind the Intel Core i3-4130T and Core i7-875K, and trails the Intel Xeon W5590 by 0.3%. Both chips are firmly mid-pack in the overall CPU landscape, well below the high-end parts of their era.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Xeon X3470 has a boost clock of 3.60 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-960 boosts to 3.47 GHz.

Q: Does either processor support ECC memory?

A: Only the Intel Xeon X3470 supports ECC memory. The Intel Core i7-960 has no ECC support.

Q: Which chip has the lower TDP?

A: The Intel Xeon X3470 has a TDP of 95 W, significantly lower than the Intel Core i7-960's 130 W.

Q: Are these processors compatible with the same motherboard socket?

A: No. The Intel Core i7-960 uses Intel Socket 1366, while the Intel Xeon X3470 uses Intel Socket 1156.

Q: What is the memory bus difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core i7-960 uses a triple-channel DDR3 memory bus, while the Intel Xeon X3470 uses a dual-channel DDR3 bus with a recorded 21.3 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Which processor won more benchmark comparisons?

A: The Intel Core i7-960 won all five recorded head-to-head Cinebench comparisons, with deltas ranging from 0.6% to 1%.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-960 wins in every recorded benchmark, so the performance case is unambiguous. Its highest lead comes in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it posts 407 against 403, a 1% advantage that reflects its higher base clock of 3.20 GHz. For multi-threaded workloads, the Core i7-960 also holds the edge in R15, R20, and R23 multi-core tests, each by 1%. Any scenario that prioritizes the highest possible Cinebench scores, whether single-threaded or multi-threaded, favors the Core i7-960.

The Intel Xeon X3470 wins where the benchmark data does not reach: platform features and efficiency. Its 95 W TDP versus the Core i7-960's 130 W makes it the more power-conscious choice for dense server installations or prolonged operation. The ECC memory support provides error detection and correction that the Core i7-960 cannot offer, a critical feature for data integrity in workstation or server workloads. The Xeon's higher boost clock of 3.60 GHz also suggests it could briefly outperform the Core i7-960 in short bursts of single-threaded activity, though the recorded Cinebench single-core results show the opposite outcome.

The socket difference creates a clear use-case split. A system built around Socket 1366 is the domain of the Core i7-960, a desktop-oriented platform. A system built around Socket 1156 with the Xeon X3470 targets server or workstation deployments, where the lower TDP and ECC support matter more than the marginal benchmark delta. The Xeon also carries a launch MSRP of $589, which is recorded in the database, while no launch price exists for the Core i7-960.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ across nearly every major specification category except for core count, thread count, architecture, process node, cache layout, memory type, and production status. Both have 4 cores, 8 threads, use Nehalem architecture on a 45 nm process, feature identical L1, L2, and L3 cache sizes, support DDR3 memory, and are end-of-life products.

The differences are as follows:

• Base clock: 3.20 GHz (Core i7-960) versus 2.93 GHz (Xeon X3470)
• Boost clock: 3.47 GHz (Core i7-960) versus 3.60 GHz (Xeon X3470)
• TDP: 130 W (Core i7-960) versus 95 W (Xeon X3470)
• Socket: Intel Socket 1366 (Core i7-960) versus Intel Socket 1156 (Xeon X3470)
• Codename: Bloomfield (Core i7-960) versus Lynnfield (Xeon X3470)
• Transistors: 731 million (Core i7-960) versus 774 million (Xeon X3470)
• Die size: 263 mm² (Core i7-960) versus 296 mm² (Xeon X3470)
• Memory bus: Triple-channel (Core i7-960) versus Dual-channel with 21.3 GB/s bandwidth (Xeon X3470)
• ECC memory: Not supported (Core i7-960) versus supported (Xeon X3470)
• PCIe: Gen 2 (Core i7-960) versus Gen 2, 16 lanes from CPU only (Xeon X3470)
• Market segment: Desktop (Core i7-960) versus Server/Workstation (Xeon X3470)
• Release date: October 19, 2009 (Core i7-960) versus September 7, 2009 (Xeon X3470)
• Launch MSRP: Not recorded (Core i7-960) versus $589 (Xeon X3470)
• Part number: SLBEU (Core i7-960) versus SLBJH (Xeon X3470)