Intel Core i7-5960X

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Intel Core i7-5960X
The Core i7 5960X is Intel's latest flagship unlocked processor designed for the new X99 chipset with support for hyper-threading, quad-channel DDR4 memory and up to four graphics cards. The 5960X packs eight cores clocked at 3.0GHz (Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz), 256KB of L2 cache and a whopping 20MB of L3 cache shared across each core, which comes out to 2.5MB per core. The chip also includes 40 PCI Express 3.0 lanes.
8
Cores
16
Threads
3 GHz
Base Clock
3.5 GHz
Boost Clock
Socket LGA 2011-3
Socket
140 W
TDP
No iGPU
Graphics
$255
Price
Release date:Aug 29, 2014Price at Launch:$999
Cores:8Threads:16
Base Clock:3 GHzBoost Clock:3.5 GHz
Type:DesktopMultithreading:Yes
L2 Cache:2 MBL3 Cache:20 MB
Box Cooler:NoTDP:140 W
Socket:Socket LGA 2011-3Memory Support:DDR4-2133
Codename:Haswell-EProcess Size:22 nm
Integrated Graphics:NoNPU:No
PCIe Support:PCIe 3.0, 40 lanes

Price History

Intel Core i7-5960X pricing

Last 6 months
Price Date
Current $255 Dec 15, 2025
Highest* $255 Jun 26, 2025
Lowest* $235 May 14, 2025
Average $245
* Prices are based on listings from Newegg and other major retailers over the past 12+ months.
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Reviews and Ratings

91

Average Score

Based on 38 reviews

8.0

User Score

Based on 49 reviews

Reviewers Liked

  • Extreme performance
  • Eight cores and 16 threads in one chip
  • Relatively energy efficient
  • Overclocks well
  • Multi threaded performance
  • Overclocking with eight cores

Reviewers Didn't Like

  • Expensive
  • Requires completely new platform
  • Low base clock speed

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By TechSpot on
85

Intel's Extreme Edition processor line is over a decade old now, starting way back in 2003 with the single-core Pentium 4 EE 3.4GHz. Fast forward to today, the chip we'll be looking at boasts eight cores, a massive 20MB smart cache, support for the latest DDR4 memory, and is accompanied by the new X99 chipset.

By TechSpot on
85

While Haswell's refresh laid the foundation for a powerful desktop PC earlier this year with the Core i7-4790K and Z97 motherboards, folks who want the quickest Intel rig possible have been building with the six-core Core i7-4930K ($555) and Core...

By TechSpot on
92

Intel released the Haswell-E line a few months ago, and it has been quite the talk in terms of the move to the newer and...

By techPowerUp! on
90

With the launch of Haswell-E, Intel has introduced three new desktop processors and an updated chipset to support them, called X99. Although the new chips are based on a similar 2011-pin layout to the previous Ivy Bridge-E enthusiast processors, these...

By TechRadar on
90

Faster memory, more cores, and advanced storage makes Haswell E a brilliantly fast platform that raises the performance bar for desktop computing.

By TechRadar on
90

With the Core i7 5960X, Intel has beat their only competition in a market they dominate; themselves. It is easily the fastest desktop consumer processor on the market...

By technologyx.com on
90

A Monster ProcessorLet's be clear on this, not many people are going to own this CPU. It's Intel's latest top-of-the-line consumer retail model, it is basically the Ferrari of CPUs; many will covet, but few will own it. Having said that, let's get this...

By CGM on
93

It's good to see Intel finally update the LGA2011 platform, even if by “update”, I mean “replace with a system that's completely incompatible with the previous generation system.” This system replaces LGA2011 entirely, and if the name “LGA2011-V3″...

By Benchmark Reviews on
80

A super-powerful, octo-core CPU, but has little to really offer in gaming performance.

By PCGamer on
95

Intel has just released the X99 chipset and the s2011-3 CPUs that goes with it, ushering in the age of DDR4.The top of the line unlocked CPU is the 8 core/ 16 thread 5960X that has quad-channel DDR4 and 40 lanes of PCI-E 3.0. The 5960X comes in with a...

By vrworld.com on
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