i7 3930k vs i7 3960x

[Ultimate Gohan]

Hey guys,
Im gonna build my own pc this month and i my budget is >$4000 . Im going to mainly use my pc for 3d applications, video rendering, photoshop, video editing and gaming.
I compared tech specs of both i7 3930k and 3960x processors and found out that i7 3960x has 100mhz higher clock speed as well be as 3 mb extra L3 cache.

anyways i will overclock my cpu so existing clock speed doesnt matter but will i get huge benefit from 3 mb L3 cache.

Money doesnt matter for me because i want something best u guys might know that 3d apps , rendering , photoshop , video editing are cpu bound and there will be huge advantage for 6 core processor for these things.

1. i7 3930k is $600 while 3960x is $1050 on newegg, though money is not a problem is 3960x really worth extra $450 when compared to 3930k ?

2. What are the known benefits that are found on i7 3960x over 3930k apart from extra 3mb L3 cache ?

3.How many % of extra benefit will i see on i7 3960x over 3930k ?

My upcoming build specs:

* Intel core i7 3930k or 3960x
* Asus Rampage IV Formula
* Corsair Dominator 16gb quad channel 2133 mhz ddr3 ram
* 2x EVGA 4gb gtx 680 sli ( according to evga product manager jacob freeman 4gb gtx 680 will release by april end)
* Corsair AX 1200 watts psu
* HAF X Cabinet
* XSPC Rasa 750 RS360 water cooling kit
* LG Bluray burner drive
* Intel 520 series 240gb SSD
* Seagate barracuda 1tb 7200 rpm HDD
* Seagate goflex 1tb USB 3.0 ultra portable external HDD
* Asus VG278H 27" 3D Monitor
* Razer Blackwidow ultimate stealth keyboard
* Razer deathadder mouse
* Razer Carcharias Gaming Headset
* APC UPS Pro 1500VA UPS
* Sony 3d home theater system ( already owns it )
* Dell U2711 IPS monitor ( already owned and i will use this monitor for photoshop, rendering, editing because ips has better colour reproduction while i will use asus vg278h for gaming and to connect my ps3 and 360 )

Also if u have any better alternative for my specs please tell me . Dont tell me to purchase quad core processors because im not only going to use my pc for gaming remember that .

Thanks in advance for your replies . God Bless

 

[EarthDog]

1. Not worth the difference.

2. Only the cache essentially.

3. Not much. Not enough to warrant $450 difference.

 

[benen]

The build looks good but if you have the money you could find a much better case than the HAF X to house that great set of hardware. I'd personally go for a different mech keyboard too. Like a Ducky. But that's personal preference. I like a simpler/classy look rather than a 'gaming' look.

 

[Ultimate Gohan]

The build looks good but if you have the money you could find a much better case than the HAF X to house that great set of hardware. I'd personally go for a different mech keyboard too. Like a Ducky. But that's personal preference. I like a simpler/classy look rather than a 'gaming' look.

im considering corsair mechanical keyboards too like k60 and k90 but u still didnt answer my real questin though . God Bless

 

[Janus67]

EarthDog answered all of your questions (correctly).

I've heard hit and miss things about that keyboard, so it may be worth investigating.

 

[EarthDog]

Let me elaborate a bit on #3 with this review: http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core-i7-3960x-3930k.html

 

[bluezero5]

nice set.

onto ur question.
not worth it. 3930X is essential 3930K's ultimate version, but with very little edge.
me and my friends have been testing both. (i am on 3930k camp), and so far, there's virtually no difference.

well, maybe this.
3930k needs ard 1.52Vcore to get to 5.0Ghz on stable terms.
on my group of friends..

3 using 3930X manage to get there using 1.49V
just 1 with 3930K manage the same at 1.49V (we got the golden chip)

so if you think you will have split hairs for having to use a lower voltage to get to 5.0Ghz, then go for 3930X, otherwise, 3930K

 

[djscrew]

Gaudy case... may I suggest a corsair?

razor gear is highly overrated imho.

 

[bluezero5]

Corsair D700, CM Troop trooper those be my recommendations for chassis.
you want the cable management to be super.

I see you assembling a GREAT rig.
so I will also suggest you use ASUS RAMPAGE IV EXTREME instead of Formula.

You might also want to use Raid-10 if you buy 4x of those SSD for your OS. Having your OS on SSD and in Raid gives plenty of benefits in both speed and backups, you will love it.

 

[EarthDog]

nice set.

onto ur question.
not worth it. 3930X is essential 3930K's ultimate version, but with very little edge.
me and my friends have been testing both. (i am on 3930k camp), and so far, there's virtually no difference.

well, maybe this.
3930k needs ard 1.52Vcore to get to 5.0Ghz on stable terms.
on my group of friends..

3 using 3930X manage to get there using 1.49V
just 1 with 3930K manage the same at 1.49V (we got the golden chip)

so if you think you will have split hairs for having to use a lower voltage to get to 5.0Ghz, then go for 3930X, otherwise, 3930K

The difference, IMO, is not worth the $450... assuming thats true outside of the small sample used to come up with that assertion.

 

[wingman99]

+1 save some money the x is not worth it and purchase the i7 3930k and overclock the snot out of it without worrying about cost.

 

[Knufire]

Don't bother with the 2133MHz RAM, you won't see any benefit in higher speed RAM with the tasks you're doing. Get some 1600Mhz and be done with it.

Depending on how seriously you're using 3D applications, you might want to have two different video cards in your build, one workstation (Quadro or FirePro) and one gaming (GTX, Radeon).

I would also get a different motherboard. By any measure, the RIVF is a great board. However, the features that separate the ASUS ROG series of boards are features mostly meant for benchmarkers (high OCing capability, spaced out x16 slots, lack of legacy ports).

A different board, maybe one of the X79 boards with 8 RAM slots and some PCI slots would do you better. For example, many of the best sound cards are older models and are only available on PCI, in case you wanted one for your video editing.

That build will also draw nowhere near close to 1200W of power. An 850AX would power it just fine.

 

[bluezero5]

assuming thats true outside of the small sample used to come up with that assertion

My group of friends is based on just 8 people. so it is extremely small in sample size. Though I think we 'kinda' know we are doing, so I will hope our opinion and findings won't be 'too bad'. =)

Good luck champ!!!!!

 

[EarthDog]

There really isnt a difference. Get moar friends.

 

[PearlJammzz]

Great looking specs!

I looked heavily into mechanical keyboards this last month or so and the Razer offerings are pretty....flimsy, wear easily (everything becomes shiny, fast. Some as soon as 1-2 months of use). I really like my Filco. People seem to really like the Ducky and Das keyboards as well.

The Filco is sturdy and has a GREAT feel. Also the degree on the tilt is AWESOME. I really love the keyboard. I got the version with the MX Brown switches.

Could always go get a LGA 2011 dual-cpu board? With your budget it might not be a bad idea. It'd create one hell of a workstation! It'd do zero for you in gaming but you would have 24 cores (12 physical, 12 HT). Could get 2 workstation cards (not sure if these would be better at computing tasks or not....I know as far as raw number crunching the 7970 seems to be king over the 680. 680 fares better in games though) or more.

I guess it depends on just how crazy of tasks you are doing. With that budget you could get pretty crazy lol. I highly suggest the 2011 dual-cpu boards and looking into the 7970's. They seem to do a LOT better at everything else besides gaming (the F@H guys LOVE em!)

 

[bluezero5]

There really isnt a difference. Get moar friends.

Ya, we recruiting folks here and there. All in the same city, so we can buy things in BULK for a discount !! hehehe

I think 3930X is on 3.3Ghz and since 3930k is 3.2Ghz, that 0.1Ghz, makes the same frequency OC requiring a 'minor' less for 3930X. but other than that, we really found NO difference.

In fact, we been told. (not sure if it is true, this is from a low level staff from Intel) 3930X and 3930K are manufactured on the same line, but as with all silicon products, the quality differs, the best ones becomes 3930X and the rest becomes 3930K.. and then it proceeds to the L3 cache where they start to differ more...

I am thinking should I believe it.
and hence the 3930X might have been born to be 'a little' better...

 

[EarthDog]

That is correct, that is how CPU's are made... but due to each chip being from a different part of the silicon, its is very possible that 3930k's clock farther, and with less voltage. It just depends which part of the wafer the CPU came from.

There are no differences outside of cache on these chips.

In fact, when looking at EXTREME cooling, the 3930k clocks farther:

http://hwbot.org/hardware/processor/core_i7_3930k/
http://hwbot.org/hardware/processor/core_i7_3960x/

If you look at the average, the 3930k beats out the X by 2 Mhz,

 

[bluezero5]

ED

those links you posted...

just entertained me for 90mins. THANKS!!!!!