I7 3820 review: $285 Quad-Core Sandy Bridge E

The Chip & OverclockingWindows 7 Application PerformanceGaming PerformancePower ConsumptionFinal Words

If you are a normal desktop user or even a power user with plans to run at over 4GHz, the vanilla LGA-1155 Sandy Bridge platform is good enough. You get some of the fastest CPUs on the market today paired with reasonably priced motherboards and the ability to use Quick Sync to transcode video…er…quickly. If that’s not enough, Intel launched a higher end platform last month: the LGA-2011 Sandy Bridge E.

Take a regular Sandy Bridge, add PCIe 3. 0 support, increase the number of PCIe lanes that branch off of the CPU (from 16 to 40 lanes), double the number of memory channels (4 x 64-bit DDR3 memory controllers) and you’ve got Sandy Bridge E and its LGA-2011/X79 platform. SNB-E is currently available in two forms: a $999 6-core Extreme Edition part (Core i7 3960X) and a $555 6-core unlocked version (Core i7 3930K). Neither is exactly cheap but if you need the PCIe lanes, core count and memory bandwidth, they are your only ticket.

LGA-2011 SNB-E (left) vs. LGA-1155 SNB (right)

Sandy Bridge E is a fairly niche platform to begin with, but what about the niche within the niche (extremeception?) of users who just need the LGA-2011 platform but not necessarily a 6-core behemoth? For those users, there’s the Core i7 3820:

LGA-2011 SNB-E (left) vs. LGA-1155 SNB (right)

The Core i7 3820 is the first (and only) quad-core Sandy Bridge E CPU. It’s so new that the chip isn’t even available for sale nor will it be until early 2012. Unlike the relationship between the 3960X and 3930K, the 3820 is an entirely new die.

The chip features four Sandy Bridge cores and is paired with a 10MB L3 cache, giving it a slight advantage over the highest end LGA-1155 Sandy Bridge CPUs on the market today. The result is a die that’s bigger than a regular SNB but significantly smaller than a 6-core SNB-E:

CPU Specification Comparison
CPU	Manufacturing Process	Cores	Transistor Count	Die Size
AMD Bulldozer 8C	32nm	8	1. 2B	315mm2
AMD Thuban 6C	45nm	6	904M	346mm2
AMD Deneb 4C	45nm	4	758M	258mm2
Intel Gulftown 6C	32nm	6	1.17B	240mm2
Intel Sandy Bridge E (6C)	32nm	6	2. 27B	435mm2
Intel Sandy Bridge E (4C)	32nm	4	1.27B	294mm2
Intel Nehalem/Bloomfield 4C	45nm	4	731M	263mm2
Intel Sandy Bridge 4C	32nm	4	995M	216mm2
Intel Lynnfield 4C	45nm	4	774M	296mm2
Intel Clarkdale 2C	32nm	2	384M	81mm2
Intel Sandy Bridge 2C (GT1)	32nm	2	504M	131mm2
Intel Sandy Bridge 2C (GT2)	32nm	2	624M	149mm2

There’s a small improvement in base clock frequency over the fastest SNB (3. 6GHz vs. 3.5GHz) but max turbo remains unchanged at 3.9GHz. For single threaded applications the 3820 should be just as fast as a Core i7 2700K or a 3960X. The same is true for if all heavily threaded workloads, at least when compared to other quad-core parts (the 3960/3930 still maintain an advantage because of their two additional cores).

Processor	Core Clock	Cores / Threads	L3 Cache	Max Turbo	Max Overclock Multiplier	TDP	Price
Intel Core i7 3960X	3. 3GHz	6 / 12	15MB	3.9GHz	57x	130W	$990
Intel Core i7 3930K	3.2GHz	6 / 12	12MB	3.8GHz	57x	130W	$555
Intel Core i7 3820	3. 6GHz	4 / 8	10MB	3.9GHz	43x	130W	$285
Intel Core i7 2700K	3.5GHz	4 / 8	8MB	3.9GHz	57x	95W	$332
Intel Core i7 2600K	3. 4GHz	4 / 8	8MB	3.8GHz	57x	95W	$317
Intel Core i7 2600	3.4GHz	4 / 8	8MB	3.8GHz	42x	95W	$294
Intel Core i5 2500K	3. 3GHz	4 / 4	6MB	3.7GHz	57x	95W	$216
Intel Core i5 2500	3.3GHz	4 / 4	6MB	3.7GHz	41x	95W	$205

There’s no on-die GPU, no heatsink/fan in the box and this isn’t a fully unlocked part so the 3820 is actually cheaper than most of the high-end Sandy Bridge CPUs: it’s priced at $285. If it weren’t for the fact that you’ll still need to spend over $200 on a motherboard I would say that the 3820 is a steal.

Overclocking

Let’s start with the basics. All Sandy Bridge CPUs are clock locked by default, they can’t operate at frequencies other than what they’re sold at. There are two exceptions to this rule. All Sandy Bridge CPUs that support Turbo Boost are partially unlocked. Not only can they turbo up to frequencies that are higher than their default clock, but they can also be overclocked to frequencies even higher than their turbo speeds. By default, all Turbo enabled Sandy Bridge CPUs can be set to run at up to four bins (4 * bclk or 400MHz by default) higher than their standard turbo frequencies:

The second exception is any of the K or X-series SKUs. If your Sandy Bridge model number ends in a K or X, then the chip is fully unlocked and can be overclocked up to 5. 7GHz using only clock multiplier adjustments.

The Core i7 3960X and 3930K fall into the latter category, which makes overclocking them a breeze. The 3820 on the other hand is partially unlocked, which means that we can run it at up to 4.3GHz using multiplier adjustments alone. Note that the 4.3GHz limit only applies to the 1-core active state, in the worst case scenario of all cores active with no room to turbo the highest operating frequency of the chip when overclocked would be 4.0GHz.

The max 3820 overclock without touching bclk settings

While these aren’t bad targets, they’re not all that exciting either. Thankfully Sandy Bridge E makes it even easier to overclock through the use of a few higher bclk frequencies. By default Sandy Bridge uses a 100MHz bclk, but SNB-E allows for 125MHz, 166MHz and 250MHz options as well. The 166/250MHz settings are a bit too aggressive, but the 125MHz bclk setting proved to be the perfect companion for the 3820.

Intel’s DX79SI makes it extremely easy to overclock, especially with the latest BIOS update. There are built in overclocking profiles for each bclk setting that you can choose from. I simply selected the 1.25x (125MHz) profile option and then went through the list of target frequencies until I found one that seemed promising. I also went in and tweaked some of the settings myself to get a bit more clock speed (4.63GHz is the fastest profile this board allows by default) and improve stability. In the end I was fairly pleased with what the 3820 could do: 4.75GHz with Intel’s RTS2011LC closed loop cooling system.

Now we’re talking

I couldn’t get the 3820 as stable as I would like at 4.88GHz and 5GHz was unfortunately out of the reach of my sample. I can’t really complain about 4.75GHz from a $285 chip though, especially without resorting to anything too exotic from a cooling standpoint. Overclocking is also extremely effortless thanks to the new bclk options on SNB-E. Although the Core i7 3820 isn’t an unlocked part, that doesn’t limit how far (or how easily) it can be overclocked. A big part of the ease of overclocking is due to how good of a job Intel did on the DX79SI BIOS options, but from what we’ve seen the third party boards also do a decent job of simplifying the process.

To keep the review length manageable we’re presenting a subset of our results here. For all benchmark results and even more comparisons be sure to use our performance comparison tool: Bench.

Motherboard:	ASUS P8Z68-V Pro (Intel Z68) ASUS Crosshair V Formula (AMD 990FX) Intel DX79SI (Intel X79)
Hard Disk:	Intel X25-M SSD (80GB) Crucial RealSSD C300
Memory:	4 x 4GB G. Skill Ripjaws X DDR3-1600 9-9-9-20
Video Card:	ATI Radeon HD 5870 (Windows 7)
Video Drivers:	AMD Catalyst 11.10 Beta (Windows 7)
Desktop Resolution:	1920 x 1200
OS:	Windows 7 x64

Windows 7 Application Performance
The Chip & OverclockingWindows 7 Application PerformanceGaming PerformancePower ConsumptionFinal Words

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Intel Core i7-3930K And Core i7-3820: Sandy Bridge-E, Cheaper

Editor’s Note: As you’ll see by the end of this story, we liked the Core i7-3930K for its specific purpose quite a bit. It’s a pleasure, then, to offer four of these CPUs to our readers. Of course, we realize that the platform is still pricey, so we also have a quartet of Intel DX79SI motherboards and as many 120 GB SSD 320 drives. Four lucky winners will walk away with a trio of parts to get them started on their next machine. Read to the end of this story for your chance to win!

We love to lust after the latest hardware, no matter the cost. But when it comes time to buy, sexy takes a back seat to sensible. That’s why a thousand-dollar processor like Intel’s Core i7-3960X doesn’t really add up. According to Intel’s official price list, you can get the Core i7-3930K for exactly $416 dollars less, sacrificing 3 MB of shared L3 cache and 100 MHz in the process. There’s an Epic Meal Time phrase I could use to illustrate the intelligence of that trade-off, but I’ll just leave it as: smart.

And so today’s story is brought to you by a couple of different ideas. First, we got our hands on the other two LGA 2011-based parts: Core i7-3930K and Core i7-3820. We’ll give you the performance data on those chips running at their stock settings.

The former launched alongside Core i7-3960X, although it looks like Intel took a look at the competitive landscape, realized there wasn’t anything to contend with Sandy Bridge-E, and tacked an extra $10 onto its -3960X and $33 to its -3930K. As a result, the $550 I cited in my launch coverage is now officially $583, but closer to $600 once the online guys add their mark-up.

The latter wasn’t as easy to track down. Although Core i7-3820’s specifications are known, it’s not officially available until 2012. But since we’ve heard that a lot of really sensitive stuff gets left behind at bars, we’ve been drinking ourselves silly, hoping to scoop up a lonely Sandy-E with only half of her faculties intact.

The darnest things wind up in bars…

Sandy Bridge-E finds itself in a tough position no matter which model you flag for its potential superiority over the other two, though. Stepping away from Intel’s flagship platform, you’re faced with Sandy Bridge, the mainstream architecture we’ve praised over the last 11 months for its stock performance, reasonable cost, efficiency, and overclockability. At $1000, $600, and an undisclosed third price (a bar fly suggested $285), it’s hard to see any conceivable way to have a serious discussion about Sandy Bridge-E’s value compared to unlocked alternatives like Core i5-2500K and Core i7-2600K.

And then there’s Ivy Bridge, expected to land in the first half of next year. Informed enthusiasts have to be wary of buying into Sandy Bridge-E knowing that Ivy Bridge could deliver better performance in basic desktop applications.

How much of a threat will the quad-core Ivy Bridge-based chips be to six-core Sandy Bridge-E processors? It’s too early to say for sure, since production-quality hardware is still months away. But we were able to scoop up an Ivy Bridge-based 55 W Core i3 at the very same watering hole and run a handful of tests. My numbers are quite a bit lower than what Intel suggests on these leaked slides though, so we’re going to wait and see how the early processors evolve before posting charts. Should enthusiasts worry that Ivy Bridge will usurp their Sandy Bridge-E-based systems? I don’t think so. It kind of sucks that the high-end crowd has to wait another year or so for Ivy Bridge-E, but these two segments want different things, and a 77 W quad-core CPU isn’t going to displace a 130 W hexa-core processor in those environments.

Besides, I’m not 100% convinced that the Ivy Bridge/6-series chipset compatibility story is going to end as harmoniously as many folks with P67 and Z68 boards hope.  

Deriving Value From The High-End?

I read all of the comments from my review of Core i7-3960X proclaiming Sandy Bridge-E fodder for chumps with too much spare change. And although I agree insofar as Intel’s flagship isn’t the right model to buy for maximizing bang for your buck, you simply have to concede that, in threaded applications, it’s faster than both the Core i7-990X it replaces and the four-core Core i7-2600K to which it’s so easily compared. As a result, there will be affluent early adopters and professionals eager to pay top dollar for the fastest single-processor system available.

Here’s the thing, though. Having the money to spend shouldn’t compel anyone to blow it. Now that the Sandy Bridge-E launch is history and prices are publically available on sites like Newegg and TigerDirect, we can add up the cost of the parts we used and consider scaling back to save some cash.

The Intel DX79SI motherboard we used for our launch piece (and continue to use today) just hit Newegg’s virtual shelves at $280. Add to that $1050 for a Core i7-3960X and $800 for two 16 GB DDR3-1333 kits from Crucial, and you’re looking at a total of $2130 for the three platform-specific components. Now, it’s clear that the insane price of high-density memory is throwing that number off. So let’s avoid sensationalizing the bottom line and swap over to the 16 GB DDR3-2133 kit from G.Skill that I used to test memory scaling in the original story. At $180, we end up with a (relatively) more palatable $1530.

Can we pare back the parts list to make Sandy Bridge-E a better buy for a larger group of enthusiasts…without sacrificing performance? I’ll explore the benchmarks shortly, but here’s the parts list that I’m going to use on my quest:

At $225, ASRock’s X79 Extreme4-M is the least-expensive (and conveniently microATX-sized) X79-based motherboard available. G.Skill’s 8 GB, DDR3-1600 Ripjaws kit isn’t particularly flashy, but it gets the job done at a capacity point we’d still consider beefy. And of course, the Core i7-3930K gets us as close to Intel’s flagship as possible without giving up any cores. The grand total? $885. That’s an almost $650 chunk off of the original setup after dropping the high-density memory kit.

Although you’re still paying nearly $400 more than the cheapest Z68-based board, the same 8 GB memory kit, and a Core i7-2700K, six cores simply aren’t available in the mainstream space. Suddenly, the prospects of a fast hexa-core beast look a lot rosier for the folks who skipped over Sandy Bridge entirely in anticipation of higher-end hardware.

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Chris Angelini is an Editor Emeritus at Tom’s Hardware US. He edits hardware reviews and covers high-profile CPU and GPU launches.

Intel Core i7-3820 Review — PCGameBenchmark

Intel CPU review. Latest product shots, rating, price and Core i7-3820 specs. Gaming CPU benchmarked against the biggest PC games like Fortnite, Minecraft and PUBG Should you buy this Intel CPU?

The processor, also known as the CPU, is the most important component on any gaming PC motherboard. It works alongside the graphics card to power your PC games. This Intel CPU has 4 cores, 8 threads and runs at a clock speed of 3.6 GHz.

PCGameBenchmark rates processors by how many of the top 1,000 PC games the chip can run.This Intel CPU can run 868 of the top 1000 games — so we give it a 86% rating.

Games that this CPU can run include Fortnite, Apex Legends, Minecraft, PUBG, GTA V, League of Legends, Overwatch and Rainbow Six Siege.

For a full list of the games that this CPU will run and the chance to compare it to other Intel and AMD processors check our CPU comparison tool. We have benchmarked every AMD and Intel CPU and track the best prices too. No need to wait for Intel Core i7-3820 Black Friday 2022 deals or some other sale to get the lowest prices!

Check out best deals on cheap processors and the latest deals on Amazon.

Intel Core i7-3820
PCGameBenchmark Rating: 76%

Best Price:	$228. 85

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Intel Core i7-3820 Specs

CPU	Intel Core i7-3820
Weight	0.92 lb (416.75 g)
Dimensions (L x W x H)	12.7 cm x 14.48 cm x 8.13 cm 5 in x 5.7 in x 3.2 in
Brand	Intel
Model Number	BX80619I73820
Cores	4 Cores
Threads	8 Threads
Clock Speed (Frequency)	3. 6 GHz

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Intel Core i7-3820 PC Gaming Performance

This processor will run 764 of the top PC games. Use PCGameBenchmark’s Rate My PC service to test your current set up and set how it compares.

Can It Run GTA 5?

This Intel processor doesn’t meet the recommended system requirements for GTA 5 but it can play the game with lowered settings.

Can It Run Fortnite?

This Intel processor doesn’t meet the recommended system requirements for Fortnite but it can play the game with lowered settings.

Can It Run Apex Legends?

This Intel processor doesn’t meet the recommended system requirements for Apex Legends but it can play the game with lowered settings.

Intel Core i7-3820 Features

• Intel Core i7-3820 3.6GHz, up to 3.8GHz with Max Turbo Frequency
• 10MB Intel Smart Cache
• 44 Bus/Core ratio
• 5 GT/s DMI

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27% Rating

$169.95

Better

Intel Core 2 Duo E7400 Review

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$119. 95

Best

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39% Rating

$7.99

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Review: Intel Core i7-3820 — CPU

Intel muscled into its own high-end desktop CPU territory when it launched the Sandy Bridge E (SNB-E) chips in November 2011. Expanding on the specifications of the excellent mainstream second-generation Core chips by throwing more cores, cache and memory bandwidth into the equation, SNB-E was always destined to be good.

But having performance hegemony at the high end means Intel dictates release schedules as it sees fit. There’s no obvious pressure on the chip giant from AMD, the competition minnow, so the SNB-E roll-out is more calculated than rushed. And while we applaud the devastating speed achievable by the Core i7-3960X or 3930K CPUs, the need to purchase a new, expensive motherboard — X79 boards start at £170 — quad-channel memory and a £450-plus chip price combine to make Intel’s speediest desktop platform also its most expensive.

Indeed, SNB-E’s pricing juxtaposes with the comparative value offered by mainstream Core i5/i7 chips, where the capable Core i5-2500K, overclockable to near-5GHz, can be picked up for £150, with compatible LGA1155 motherboards on sale for significantly below £100.

Cheaper SNB-E

What SNB-E needs, therefore, is a cheaper chip that may tempt potential purchasers into opting for an X79-based platform; motherboard manufacturers would assuredly welcome such a move that’ll stimulate sales. While not yet appearing on the firm’s website, Intel has slipped in the four-core, eight-threaded Core i7-3820 LGA2011 chip, priced at a tantalising $286 (£250).

Unashamedly borrowing a table from the Core i7-3960X review, here’s how the 3820 fits in.

Model number	Cores / Threads	Clock Speed (GHz)	Max Turbo (GHz)	IGP	Process	Cache	Interface	Memory channels	TDP	Turbo tech	Socket	Price
Intel Core i7-3960X	6/12	3. 30	3.90	N/A	32nm (Sandy Bridge-E)	1.5MB L2 15MB L3	DMI 2.0	Quad DDR3-1,600	130W	2.0	LGA2011 X79	$999
Intel Core i7-3930K	6/12	3.20	3.80	N/A	32nm (Sandy Bridge-E)	1.5MB L2 12MB L3	DMI 2.0	Quad DDR3-1,600	130W	2.0	LGA2011 X79	$564
Intel Core i7-3820	4/8	3.60	3.90	N/A	32nm (Sandy Bridge-E)	1MB L2 10MB L3	DMI 2. 0	Quad DDR3-1,600	130W	2.0	LGA2011 X79	$286
Intel Core i7-2700K	4/8	3.50	3.90	Intel HD 3000	32nm (Sandy Bridge)	1MB L2 8MB L3	DMI 2.0	Dual DDR3-1,333	95W	2.0	LGA1155 H, P, Z 6-series	$332
Intel Core i7-990X EE	6/12	3.46	3.73	N/A	32nm (Westmere)	1.5MB L2 12MB L3	QPI	Triple DDR3-1,066	130W	1.0	LGA1366 X58	$999
Intel Core i7-970	6/12	3. 20	3.46	N/A	32nm (Westmere)	1.5MB L2 12MB L3	QPI	Triple DDR3-1,066	130W	1.0	LGA1366 X58	$583
Intel Core i7-950	4/8	3.06	3.33	N/A	45nm (Bloomfield)	1MB L2 8MB L3	QPI	Triple DDR3-1,066	130W	1.0	LGA1366 X58	$294

What you’re looking at is three generations of Intel CPUs. The first three entries all belong to SNB-E, the Core i7-2700K calls SNB home, while the bottom trio highlight what’s best about the previous high-end desktop generation.

The same, but not the same

The Core i7-3820 is both the same and different from its SNB-E siblings. It uses the same LGA2011 form factor and slots right into any X79 board. There’s no on-board video, it’s specified with a 130W TDP, and communicates with the IO via a DMI interface.

But the differences are what make it stand out, and the first obvious pointer that this is a cheaper derivative rests with fewer cores/threads. Dropping down from the 6/12 setup of Core i7-3960X/3930K, the baby LGA2011 chip runs standard four-core, eight-thread processing. And understanding just how Intel arranges cores and caches, L2, which is 256KB per core, drops down to 1MB and L3 to 10MB (it’s roughly set at 2.5MB per core, though it is shared amongst cores).

Fewer cores and less cache spell lower performance. Intel ameliorates some of the damage by clocking the chip in at 3.60GHz, which is higher than both six-core parts, though overall Turbo Boost speed is a 3960X-matching 3.90GHz. Really, the default clock is kind of irrelevant on a chip that Turbos so effectively, and Intel is making the 3820 look better than it perhaps is: the top-line duo both Turbo by 300MHz when under all-core load. In fact, the following table fleshes it out.

Model number/cores active	Native speed	One core	Two cores	Three cores	Four cores	Five cores	Six cores
Intel Core i7-3960X	3.30GHz	3.90GHz	3.90GHz	3.70GHz	3.70GHz	3.60GHz	3.60GHz
Intel Core i7-3930K	3.20GHz	3.80GHz	3.80GHz	3.60GHz	3.60GHz	3.50GHz	3.50GHz
Intel Core i7-3820	3.60GHz	3.90GHz	3.80GHz	3.80GHz	3.70GHz	—	—
Intel Core i7-2600K	3. 40GHz	3.80GHz	3.70GHz	3.60GHz	3.50GHz	—	—

You see, under load — one to six cores — the 3820 is pretty much the same speed as other high-end chips: the default clock is semi-meaningless.

Intel Core i7-3820 processor review: CPU specs, performance benchmarks

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Core i7-3820 processor released by Intel; release date: February 2012. At the time of release, the processor cost $400. The processor is designed for desktop-computers and based on Sandy Bridge E microarchitecture.

CPU is locked to prevent overclocking. Total number of cores — 4, threads — 8. Maximum CPU clock speed — 3.80 GHz. Maximum operating temperature — 66.8°C. Manufacturing process technology — 32 nm. Cache size: L1 — 64 KB (per core), L2 — 256 KB (per core), L3 — 10240 KB (shared).

Supported memory types: DDR3 1066/1333/1600. Maximum memory size: 64.23 GB.

Supported socket types: FCLGA2011. Maximum number of processors in a configuration — 1. Power consumption (TDP): 130 Watt.

Benchmarks

PassMark Single thread mark	Top 1 CPU This CPU
PassMark CPU mark	Top 1 CPU This CPU	118142
Geekbench 4 Single Core	Top 1 CPU This CPU
Geekbench 4 Multi-Core	Top 1 CPU This CPU
3DMark Fire Strike Physics Score	Top 1 CPU This CPU
CompuBench 1. 5 Desktop Face Detection	Top 1 CPU This CPU	56.680 mPixels/s 4.665 mPixels/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop Ocean Surface Simulation	Top 1 CPU This CPU	741.453 Frames/s 84.218 Frames/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop T-Rex	Top 1 CPU This CPU	3. 237 Frames/s 0.606 Frames/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop Video Composition	Top 1 CPU This CPU	49.002 Frames/s 2.267 Frames/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop Bitcoin Mining	Top 1 CPU This CPU	218.231 mHash/s 5. 758 mHash/s

Name	Value
PassMark — Single thread mark	1738
PassMark — CPU mark	5776
Geekbench 4 — Single Core	756
Geekbench 4 — Multi-Core	3163
3DMark Fire Strike — Physics Score	3318
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop — Face Detection	4.665 mPixels/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop — Ocean Surface Simulation	84. 218 Frames/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop — T-Rex	0.606 Frames/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop — Video Composition	2.267 Frames/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop — Bitcoin Mining	5.758 mHash/s

Specifications (specs)

Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge E
Launch date	February 2012
Launch price (MSRP)	$400
Place in performance rating	1577
Price now	$199. 99
Processor Number	i7-3820
Series	Intel® Core™ X-series Processors
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	13.26
Vertical segment	Desktop
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.60 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI2
Die size	294 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	10240 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm
Maximum case temperature (TCase)	67 °C
Maximum core temperature	66. 8°C
Maximum frequency	3.80 GHz
Number of cores	4
Number of threads	8
Transistor count	1270 million
VID voltage range	0.600V – 1.350V
Max memory channels	4
Maximum memory bandwidth	51.2 GB/s
Maximum memory size	64. 23 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066/1333/1600
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1
Package Size	52.5mm x 45.0mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA2011
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	130 Watt
Max number of PCIe lanes	40
PCI Express revision	2.0
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4. 2, Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Smart Response technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)

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AMD
A10-5800B

Core i7-3820 [in 4 benchmarks]

Intel
Core i7-3820

Buy

• Interface
• Core clock speed
• Max video memory
• Memory type
• Memory clock speed
• Maximum resolution

Summary

Intel started Intel Core i7-3820 sales on February 2012 at a recommended price of $400. This is Sandy Bridge-E architecture desktop processor primarily aimed at office systems. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, and is based on 32 nm manufacturing technology, with a maximum frequency of 3800 MHz and a locked multiplier.

Compatibility-wise, this is FCLGA2011 processor with a TDP of 130 Watt and a maximum temperature of 67 °C. It supports DDR3 memory.

It provides poor benchmark performance at

5.73%

of a leader’s which is AMD EPYC 7h22.

Core i7
3820

vs

EPYC
7h22

General info

Core i7-3820 processor market type (desktop or notebook), architecture, sales start time and pricing.

Place in performance rating	1145
Value for money	2. 32
Market segment	Desktop processor
Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013)
Release date	February 2012 (10 years ago)
Launch price (MSRP)	$400	of 305 (Core i7-870)
Current price	$177 (0.4x MSRP)	of 14999 (Xeon Platinum 9282)

Value for money

To get the index we compare the characteristics of the processors and their cost, taking into account the cost of other processors.

• 0
• 50
• 100

Technical specs

Basic microprocessor parameters such as number of cores, number of threads, base frequency and turbo boost clock, lithography, cache size and multiplier lock state. These parameters can generally indicate CPU performance, but to be more precise you have to review its test results.

Compatibility

Information on Core i7-3820 compatibility with other computer components and devices: motherboard (look for socket type), power supply unit (look for power consumption) etc. Useful when planning a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one.

Note that power consumption of some processors can well exceed their nominal TDP, even without overclocking. Some can even double their declared thermals given that the motherboard allows to tune the CPU power parameters.

Technologies and extensions

Technological capabilities and additional instructions supported by Core i7-3820. You’ll probably need this information if you require some particular technology.

Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX
AES-NI	+
AVX	+
vPro	—
Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST)	+
Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST)	+
Turbo Boost Technology	2. 0
Hyper-Threading Technology	+
Idle States	+
Thermal Monitoring	+
Smart Response	+
Demand Based Switching	—

Security technologies

Processor technologies aimed at improving security, for example, by protecting against hacks.

Virtualization technologies

Supported virtual machine optimization technologies. Some are specific to Intel only, some to AMD.

Memory specs

Types, maximum amount and channel number of RAM supported by Core i7-3820’s memory controller. Depending on the motherboard, higher memory frequency may be supported.

Peripherals

Specifications and connection types of supported peripherals.

Benchmark performance

Single-core and multi-core benchmark results of Core i7-3820. Overall benchmark performance is measured in points in 0-100 range, higher is better.

Overall score

This is our combined benchmark performance rating. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.

i7-3820
5.73

• Passmark
• GeekBench 5 Single-Core
• GeekBench 5 Multi-Core
• 3DMark Fire Strike Physics

Passmark

Passmark CPU Mark is a widespread benchmark, consisting of 8 different types of workload, including integer and floating point math, extended instructions, compression, encryption and physics calculation. There is also one separate single-threaded scenario measuring single-core performance.

Benchmark coverage: 68%

i7-3820
5776

GeekBench 5 Single-Core

GeekBench 5 Single-Core is a cross-platform application developed in the form of CPU tests that independently recreate certain real-world tasks with which to accurately measure performance. This version uses only a single CPU core.

Benchmark coverage: 37%

i7-3820
731

GeekBench 5 Multi-Core

GeekBench 5 Multi-Core is a cross-platform application developed in the form of CPU tests that independently recreate certain real-world tasks with which to accurately measure performance. This version uses all available CPU cores.

Benchmark coverage: 37%

i7-3820
3101

3DMark Fire Strike Physics

Benchmark coverage: 4%

i7-3820
6240

Mining hashrates

Cryptocurrency mining performance of Core i7-3820. Usually measured in megahashes per second.

Relative perfomance

Overall Core i7-3820 performance compared to nearest competitors among desktop CPUs.

Intel Core i7-4770T
102.44

Intel Pentium Gold G7400T
101.92

Intel Core i3-8300T
101.22

Intel Core i7-3820
100

AMD Phenom II X6 1100T BE
99.48

Intel Core i5-7440EQ
98.78

Intel Core i5-6500
97.91

AMD equivalent

We believe that the nearest equivalent to Core i7-3820 by AMD is Phenom II X6 1100T BE, which is slower by 1% and lower by 5 positions in our rating.

Phenom II
X6 1100T BE

Compare

Here are some closest AMD rivals to Core i7-3820:

AMD FX-9370
104. 19

AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2200GE
104.19

AMD FX-8350
102.79

Intel Core i7-3820
100

AMD Phenom II X6 1100T BE
99.48

AMD FX-8320
93.72

AMD FX-8370E
92.32

Similar processors

Here is our recommendation of several processors that are more or less close in performance to the one reviewed.

Phenom II
X6 1100T BE

Compare

Core i7
4770T

Compare

Core i5
4690K

Compare

Core i7
2700K

Compare

FX
8350

Compare

Core i5
4690

Compare

Recommended graphics cards

These graphics cards are most commonly used with Core i7-3820 according to our statistics.

GeForce GTX
1050 Ti

8.2%

GeForce GTX
1060 6 GB

7%

GeForce GTX
1060 3 GB

5.1%

GeForce GTX
970

4.4%

GeForce GTX
660

4.2%

GeForce GTX
960

3.1%

GeForce GTX
1050

2.8%

GeForce GTX
1070 Ti

2. 3%

GeForce GTX
750 Ti

2.3%

GeForce GTX
680

2.2%

User rating

Here is the rating given to the reviewed processor by our users. Let others know your opinion by rating it yourself.

Questions and comments

Here you can ask a question about Core i7-3820, agree or disagree with our judgements, or report an error or mismatch.

Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus.

Intel Core i7-3820 — 59 secret facts, review, specifications, reviews.

PassMark CPU score

The PassMark benchmark considers read speed, write speed, and seek time when testing SSD performance.
Show all

5935

max 89379

Average: 6033. 5

89379

AES

Yes

Temperature control technologies

Yes

Intel Privacy Protection Technology

Yes

Function Execute override bit

Yes

Intel Trusted Execution Technology

No

Number of threads

The more threads, the higher the performance of the processor, and it will be able to perform several tasks at the same time.
Show all

eight

max 256

Average: 10.7

256

L2 Cache Size

L2 cache with large scratchpad memory to increase processor speed and overall system performance.
Show all

1MB

max 512

Average: 4. 5 MB

512MB

L3 cache size

Large amount of L3 memory accelerates results in CPU and system performance settings
Show all

10MB

max 768

Average: 16.3 MB

768MB

Maximum Turbo Clock Speed ​​

When the processor speed drops below its limit, it can jump to a higher clock speed to improve performance.
Show all

3.8GHz

max 5.5

Average: 3.2 GHz

5.5GHz

Number of cores

four

max 72

Mean: 5.8

72

Processor base clock speed

3. 6GHz

max 4.7

Average: 2.5 GHz

4.7GHz

Frequency with Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0

3.8GHz

max 5.1

Average: 3.5 GHz

5.1GHz

Max. number of PCI Express lanes

40

max 64

Average: 22.7

64

Idle states

Yes

Turbo Boost Technology

Turbo Boost is a technology that allows the processor to operate at a frequency higher than the maximum. This increases its productivity (including when performing complex tasks)
Show all

2

Mean: 1.9

2

Number of PCI-Express lanes

40

Max. number of processors in configuration

one

Mean: 1.3

8

Version DDR

3

Mean: 3.5

5

Max. memory bandwidth

This is the speed at which the device stores or reads information.

51.2GB/s

max 352

Average: 41.4 GB/s

352GB/s

Memory frequency

The RAM can be faster to improve system performance.
Show all

1600MHz

max 4800

Average: 2106.2 MHz

4800MHz

Max. number of memory channels

The greater their number, the higher the data transfer rate from memory to processor

four

max 16

Mean: 2. 9

16

Max. memory size

The largest amount of RAM memory.

64.23GB

max 6000

Average: 404.4 GB

6000GB

System bus frequency

Data between computer components and other devices is transferred via the bus.
Show all

5 GT/s

max 1600

Average: 156.1 GT/s

1600 GT/s

Memory support ECC

Memory debugging code is used when it is necessary to avoid data corruption during scientific computing or server startup. It finds possible errors and repairs data corruption.
Show all

No

vPro

No

Enhanced Speed ​​Step (EIST)

Yes

Intel® AES-NI Commands

AES is required to speed up encryption and decryption.

Yes

Hyper-Threading Technology

Many Intel processors use state-of-the-art hyper-threading technology. Thus, each processor core works simultaneously on two threads, which significantly increases performance. Most processors work on the principle: one thread per core, therefore, their performance is lower.
Show all

Yes

AVX

AVX allows you to increase the speed of calculations in multimedia, financial and scientific applications, it also improves the performance of Linux RAID.
Show all

Yes

Version sse

Allows you to speed up multimedia tasks (such as adjusting the sound intensity). Each subsequent version has a number of improvements
Show all

4.2

max 4.2

Average: 4. 1

4.2

Socket

FCLGA2011

Thermal Monitoring

Yes

Smart Response

Yes

Demand Based Switching

No

TXT

No

EDB

Yes

Identity Protection

Yes

VT-d

Yes

VT-x

Yes

EPT

Yes

Manufacturing process

The small size of the semiconductor means it is a new generation chip.

32 nm

Average: 36.8 nm

5nm

Number of transistors

2270 million

max 57000

Average: 1517. 3 million

57000 million

Thermal Dissipation (TDP)

Thermal Dissipation Requirements (TDP) is the maximum amount of energy that can be dissipated by the cooling system. The lower the TDP, the less power will be consumed.
Show all

130W

Average: 67.6 W

0.025W

PCI Express Revision

2

Mean: 2.9

5

Status

Discontinued

Release date

01/01/2012

Embedded options available

No

Case size

52.5mm x 45.0mm

Supports 64-bit system

A 64-bit system, unlike a 32-bit system, can support more than 4 GB of RAM. This increases productivity. It also allows you to run 64-bit applications.
Show all

Yes

Code name

Sandy Bridge E

Maximum temperature Tcase

66.8°C

max 105

Average: 75.1 °C

105°C

Purpose

Desktop

Review of the Intel Core i7-3820 processor: characteristics, tests in benchmarks

The Core i7-3820 processor was released by Intel, release date: February 2012. At the time of release, the processor cost $400. The processor is designed for desktop computers and is built on the Sandy Bridge E architecture.

Processor blocked for overclocking. The total number of cores is 4, threads are 8. The maximum clock frequency of the processor is 3.80 GHz. The maximum temperature is 66.8°C. Technological process — 32 nm. Cache size: L1 — 64 KB (per core), L2 — 256 KB (per core), L3 — 10240 KB (shared).

Supported memory type: DDR3 1066/1333/1600. Maximum supported memory size: 64.23 GB.

Supported socket type: FCLGA2011. The maximum number of processors in the configuration is 1. Power consumption (TDP): 130 Watt.

Benchmarks

PassMark Single thread mark	Top1 CPU This CPU
PassMark CPU mark	Top1 CPU This CPU	118142
Geekbench 4 Single Core	Top1 CPU This CPU
Geekbench 4 Multi-Core	Top1 CPU This CPU
3DMark Fire Strike Physics Score	Top1 CPU This CPU
CompuBench 1. 5 Desktop Face Detection	Top1 CPU This CPU	56.680 mPixels/s 4.665 mPixels/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop Ocean Surface Simulation	Top1 CPU This CPU	741.453 Frames/s 84.218 Frames/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop T-Rex	Top1 CPU This CPU	3. 237 Frames/s 0.606 Frames/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop Video Composition	Top1 CPU This CPU	49.002 Frames/s 2.267 Frames/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop Bitcoin Mining	Top1 CPU This CPU	218.231 mHash/s 5. 758 mHash/s

Name	Meaning
PassMark — Single thread mark	1738
PassMark — CPU mark	5776
Geekbench 4 — Single Core	756
Geekbench 4 — Multi-Core	3163
3DMark Fire Strike — Physics Score	3318
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop — Face Detection	4.665 mPixels/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop — Ocean Surface Simulation	84. 218 Frames/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop — T-Rex	0.606 Frames/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop — Video Composition	2.267 Frames/s
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop — Bitcoin Mining	5.758 mHash/s

Features

configuration

Architecture name	Sandy Bridge E
Issue date	February 2012
Price at first issue date	$400
Place in rating	1577
Price now	$199. 99
Processor Number	i7-3820
Series	Intel® Core™ X-series Processors
Status	Discontinued
Price/performance ratio (0-100)	13.26
Applicability	Desktop
Support 64 bit
Base frequency	3.60 GHz
Bus Speed ​​	5 GT/s DMI2
Crystal area	294 mm
Level 1 cache	64 KB (per core)
Level 2 cache	256 KB (per core)
Level 3 cache	10240 KB (shared)
Process	32 nm
Maximum case temperature (TCase)	67 °C
Maximum core temperature	66. 8°C
Maximum frequency	3.80 GHz
Number of cores	4
Number of threads	8
Number of transistors	1270 million
Permissible core voltage	0.600V — 1.350V
Maximum number of memory channels	4
Maximum memory bandwidth	51.2 GB/s
Maximum memory size	64. 23GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066/1333/1600
Low Halogen Options Available
Maximum number of processors in	1
Package Size	52.5mm x 45.0mm
Supported sockets	FCLGA2011
Power consumption (TDP)	130 Watt
Number of PCI Express lanes	40
PCI Express revision	2.0
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection Technology
Intel® Trusted Execution Technology (TXT)
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology
Idle States
Extended instructions	Intel® SSE4. 2, Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology
Intel® Smart Response Technology
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)

Navigation

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Processor comparison

Intel Core i7-3820 vs.

other processors

Intel
Core i7-3820

versus

AMD
Phenom II X3 B73

Intel
Core i7-3820

versus

AMD
Athlon II X3 420e

Intel
Core i7-3820

versus

Intel
Core i7-2600K

Intel
Core i7-3820

versus

Intel
Core i7-990X

Intel
Core i7-3820

versus

Intel
Core i3-2125

Intel
Core i7-3820

versus

AMD
A10-5800B

Review and testing of the i7 processor 3820

Intel decided to simultaneously release three processor models at once: Core i7-3930K, i7-3960X and Core i7 3820. Initially, many users were perplexed by the fact that the latest model appeared on the current market. Presumably, the reason for this was the reduction in the cost of the entrance fee to the LGA 2011 club.

As a result, this processor excludes the presence of a free multiplier and is fundamentally different from other models. What is this model? The Core i7 3820 was essentially used as a direct competitor to the top representatives of the LGA 1155 platform, which included models such as the i7-2700 K and i7-2600K. These devices have proven themselves well in terms of overclocking. They were able to work at frequencies close to 5 GHz without any difficulty. At the same time, the level of productivity practically reached the level unattainable at that time.

Given that these devices have been on the market for a long time. It was quite difficult for the new model to make its way. In particular, the popularization of previous models was attended by a free multiplier. They themselves have a good overclocking potential. The Core i7 3820 looked like a dark horse against their background. It is worth noting that all competing devices, including the FX-8120 model from AMD, provided performance above 4500 and 2133 MHz for the processor and memory.

An engineering sample of the Core i7 3820 will be used for comparison. This device will be as close as possible to those that eventually went to retail. However, the characteristics of the test sample are brought to the ideal, and this fact must be taken into account. If you look at the processors themselves, the different position of all components immediately catches your eye. The point is that the 3930K is based on a monolithic eight-core crystal.

This model disables two cores and a certain part of the cache. If we talk about the Core i7 3820 model, then the situation is radically different here. As a basis, this processor uses a crystal of four cores. In fact, it represents only 50% of what is offered in the other two models. PCI and memory controllers have not been affected by the changes. As a result, the operation is carried out in the same modes, providing approximately the same set of options.

Core i7 3820 versus 2600K and FX-8120

If we look at the FX-8120 and 2600K models, we can say that they are standard production samples, the only advantage of which is that in terms of their frequency potential they approach the previous couple. Models i7 3820 and 2600R have similar characteristics. However, they have some parameters that differ significantly from each other. In addition, these models use a different design. The updated model does not have a free multiplier and an integrated video core. Instead, a dedicated quad-channel memory controller and forty PCI-e 3.0 lanes are included.

Peculiarities of using

We have already mentioned that this processor does not have a free multiplier. In fact, this does not limit the ability of this model to overclock the maximum frequency at all. It is known that the LGA 2011 platform provides for the possibility of changing the bus coefficients. Due to this, you can set the value of the maximum frequency in the range from 125 to 133 MHz. In this case, we are considering a threshold value of 130, but if we multiply this value by the limiting coefficient of the processor, then we can say that, in the end, the overclocking potential allows us to reach a frequency of up to 5720 MHz.

Thus, in the end, the Core i7 3820 will have the same limit as the processors on the standard LGA 1155 platform. Today, hardly anyone can be surprised by the results at 5000 MHz. Even when the Core i7 3820 processor was released, there were users who overclocked existing models to this value. For this reason, many immediately thought about the question of whether it would be realistic for the new Core i7 3820 to achieve the same results with a theoretically identical milestone.

Core i7 3820: overclocking

Special attention should be paid to the fact that these models have different thermal packages. If the 2600K model has a thermal package of 95 W, then in the new device it is increased to 130 W. These figures, of course, do not make it possible to reliably determine the overclocking potential. However, at the same time, they indirectly make it possible to determine how much heat these devices can emit. Among other things, this information indicates that in order to reach a frequency of 500 MHz for the 2600 K model, it will be enough to bring an additional air cooling system, but in the Core i7 3820 model it will be necessary to use specialized liquid installations.

Tested by one of the leading Thermalright Silver Arrow coolers. The multiplier cap is 44. For this reason, the bus can be instantly increased to 125. After using a factor of 37, we managed to achieve a frequency value of 4625 MHz. However, in the future it was necessary to use a water cooling system.

Sandy Bridge E Model

This model is a high-end processor. It is intended for enthusiasts. With the help of such a processor, it is possible to solve problems of extremely high complexity. This product was manufactured using process 32 for platforms that use the updated LGA 2011 processor socket.

How much has the performance been increased? It is quite logical that many users have a natural question: how did the developers manage to increase the performance of the device? The answer lies in the processor circuitry. The standard CPU crystal was completely freed from the graphics component. It can hardly be called relevant for modern high-end class systems, for this reason, two additional computing cores were placed in its place, with the help of which two threads could be processed simultaneously. Based on this technology, the result was a modification of the Core i7 3820, which used the Sandy Bridge-E architecture.

At the same time, the total number of cores has been increased, and other components have been reorganized. This product is noticeably superior in its characteristics to 3820. However, the device has a higher cost. This is an important factor for many users. Still, the price of the Core i7 3820 is somewhat lower. It is a fairly budget model, which is available among devices based on the Sandy Bridge-E architecture.

Core i7 3820: box version

The standard version of the Core i7 3820 does not have a cooling system at all. Such a decision is not surprising for the simple reason that a person who decides to purchase such a productive device most likely has his own views on the process of providing cooling. The rest of the equipment is pretty standard. In the package, in addition to the processor itself, the user will find only an additional information booklet. Externally, the processor does not have any critical differences from similar solutions. The only distinguishing feature is the rather large dimensions. The device is significantly larger than other desktop options. On the production cover, the user will be able to find a marking that indicates the clock frequency of the device, model and country of manufacture.

Core i7 3820: specs

The Core i7 3820 has pretty impressive specs. This model can be quite attributed to solutions for productive systems, which should mainly perform most of the tasks that are typical for a modern user. The main difference of this line is the presence of a four-channel memory controller. The processor also supports DDR3-1600 memory modules. This reflects quite well on the capabilities of this device.

Users may have noticed this while testing the 3930K. An additional utility makes it possible to confirm all the characteristics of the device. The Core i7 3820 belongs to the Sandy-Bridge-E family. The processor is manufactured using the 32 nm process technology. The device in the nominal mode operates at a frequency of 3600 MHz. It is also worth noting the fact that in this case the value of the core voltage is 1.2 V. Support for Turbo Boost 2.0 technology is a traditional addition to such performance.

This technology provides the ability to dynamically increase the frequency at peak load times. This leads to an increase in the total system power by about 2-4%. Without additional overclocking, the maximum allowed clock frequency is 3900 MHz.

Core i7 3820: cache

The cache in the Core i7 3820 processor is distributed as follows. The first cache level per core is approximately 64 KB. 32 KB of them are allocated for caching various data. The rest is for instructions. The value of the second level of memory reaches 256 KB per core. The volume of the third level is 10 MB. It is also worth noting the fact that for the cache of the first and second levels, a characteristic feature is the presence of eight association lines. The third level memory provides for the use of sixteen association lines. The quad-channel controller provides support for DDR-1333, DDR3-1600, DDR3-1066 memory modules. Testing was traditionally carried out using DDDR3-1333 memory. This is due to the need to achieve results comparable to the performance results of similar processors.

Conclusion

In conclusion, we can say that the Core i7 3820 processor is a very relevant solution for the modern component market. The performance of this processor is quite consistent with the requirements of most modern applications and games. For this reason, this processor does not lose popularity even today and continues to be actively used to assemble budget computers intended for use in various fields of activity. Recently, there are more and more games that have fairly high system requirements. Not all modern computers correspond to them, and this is not to mention devices that are several years old. This processor is quite suitable for meeting the requirements of modern gamers. With this processor, you can run various processes at minimum requirements or medium settings. Everything will depend on the gaming tastes and preferences of the user.

Review and testing of the Intel Core i7-3820

Our first acquaintance with the microarchitecture Sandy Bridge-E left a double impression. On the one hand, we were convinced that the X79 Express chipset and the Sandy Bridge-E processors demonstrate impressive performance indicators, and on the other hand, we were faced with the fact that not always available applications are able to unleash the potential of this architecture in deed.

Our today’s material is the final part of our acquaintance with Sandy Bridge-E and is dedicated to the quad-core processor Core i7-3820 , which also has an LGA 2011 design. This processor will be opposed by its closest direct competitor — Intel Core i7-2700K (LGA 1155 ). The specifications of the two processors are shown in one comparison table below.

In the comparison table, the advantages of a particular model are highlighted in bold text. So the Core i7-3820 has a higher base clock speed, but it’s lower in Turbo Boost mode. It also has more L3 cache, 4 memory channels supporting DDR3-1600 memory, more memory bandwidth and more PCI-Express 2. 0 lanes and lower cost. At the same time, its multiplier is only partially unlocked (x44 maximum) and the processor has a higher level of heat dissipation.

This time we will not talk about other architectural differences, as they were covered in the first two articles, which you can read here and here. Therefore, we will go directly to the testing itself. As mentioned, the results of the first Sandy Bridge-E tests were mixed. Somewhere we observed a significant advantage of the Core i7-3930K over the Core i7-2600K , and somewhere the six-core was inferior. This time around, we expanded the number of tests we ran, eventually pushing the 100 mark. Given the fact that both processors under consideration today have the same number of cores, this will allow us to dot the i’s and understand which of the two platforms is better.

Testing

Testing was carried out on two stands, the differences of which were only in processors and motherboards.

Configuration 1:
— Processor: Intel Core i7-3820
— Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X79-UD5
— RAM: 4×2 GB GeIL Evo TWO DDR3-2133 CL10-11-11-30 1.5V
— Disk storage: SSD ADATA S511 120 GB
— Video card: 1024 MB Gainward GTX 560 Ti Phantom
— Power supply: Cougar SX850
— Cooling system: Scythe Yasya

Configuration 2:
— Processor: Intel Core i7-2700K
— Motherboard: Asus Maximus IV Gene-Z
— RAM: 4×2 GB GeIL Evo TWO DDR3-2133 CL10-11-11-30 1.5V
— Disk storage: SSD ADATA S511 120 GB
— Video card: 1024 MB Gainward GTX 560 Ti Phantom
— Power supply: Cougar SX850
— Cooling system: Scythe Yasya

Processors were tested in several modes:
1. At nominal
2. Overclocked to 4.2 GHz (100×42) with memory in DDR3-1600 and DDR3-2133 modes

3. For Core i7-3820 additional modes: 4.25 GHz (125×34), memory frequencies DDR3-1666 and DDR3-2333 MHz.

Clock speeds have been fixed for all processors, Turbo Boost technology has been disabled.

Test results

The first diagram shows performance in the following programs: SuperPi 1M, PiFast, wPrime 1.55 1024 M. The graph reflects the speed of mathematical calculations, and accordingly, the less time the processor spent on calculations, the faster it is.

In almost all modes and disciplines, the Intel Core i7-3820 is faster than its rival, the Core i7-2700K. The latter bypasses the i7-3820 only in two modes wPrime 1.55 1024M. The reason for this may be the operating system, which at the time of testing may have been loaded more than usual, and this test is very sensitive to the state of the operating system.

The next test that our processors were subjected to is a very bearded, but still relevant benchmark PCMark 2005 .

Despite the fact that the Corei7-3820 processor sometimes loses in overall scores in PCMark2005, its closest competitor i7-2700K is not possible to outperform the memory subsystem performance tests (PCMark 2005 MemoryScore). Only in a couple of cases did the 2700K manage to marginally outperform the 3820 in CPU tests (PCMark 2005 CPUScore).

But the new PCMark 7 , apparently, does not favor a four-channel memory controller, therefore, in all cases, the Core i7-2700K processor became the leader.

CineBench R11.5 x64 test renders a 3D scene in real time. Accordingly, the more points the processor scores, the higher its performance indicators.

According to the test results, the Core i7-3820 is inferior to the i7-2700K in only one case.

The next test is x264 HD Benchmark 4.0 . Thanks to this test, you can find out how many frames per second the processor can process when encoding video.

The results of this test are practically the same as the previous ones — in most cases, the Core i7-3820 is faster. The Intel Core i7-2700K processor was able to slightly outperform its rival after overclocking to 4. 2 GHz.

Performance in the Winrar 4.11 x64 archiver largely depends on the clock frequency of the RAM, as well as timings.

Next in line is the popular DirectX 10 benchmark 3DMark Vantage. This test determines the relative performance of the system as a whole in DirectX 10 applications.

The results of this benchmark do not violate the integrity of the picture. Performance indicators in this test, in general, repeat the alignment of forces in previous tests: the Core i7-3820 is faster than its rival in almost all cases.
Like 3DMark Vantage, 3DMark 2011 provides an overall assessment of the gaming performance of the system, however, the graphics tests use the DirectX11 API, and the CPU tests use the calculation of physics.

Since this test is not heavily dependent on processor performance, the overall 3DMark 2011 score is approximately equal in all modes. But if you pay attention to the 3DMark 2011 Physics sub-test, then the indisputable leadership of the Core i7-3820 in all modes becomes clear.

The following diagrams are the results of testing the memory subsystem. The first one is MaxxMem.

As in our first acquaintance with Sandy Bridge-E, the performance of «regular» Sandy Bridge (LGA 1155) in this test is much higher. This concerns memory read/copy/write operations and memory latency. In fact, MaxxMem does not have optimizations for working with multi-channel memory. The following results, which reflect the performance of processors when working with RAM, were obtained in tests of memory SiSoft Sandra 2012 .

The very first test, the memory interface bandwidth test, clearly demonstrates the full power of the four-channel memory controller that the Core i7-3820 uses. The Core i7-2700K processor is left behind, because. he can not oppose anything to his «brother» of the Sandy Bridge-E family.

Despite the defeat of the Core i7-2700K in the previous test, it is still faster in memory latency tests. Apparently, the Sandy Bridge-E memory controller is less responsive than that of Sandy Bridge.

The last test reflects the throughput between the «Cache memory» bundle. Core i7-3820 is again the undisputed leader.

Results

It is clear that for the end user, the purchase of Core i7-3820 is the most appropriate solution than the purchase of 2700K or even 2600K. The Corei7-3820 leads most of the time at the same/lower price. If we talk about the role of this processor, then it is a kind of «adapter» to the world of productive solutions for the LGA 2011 and X79 socketexpress. Of course, the Intel X79 platform itself is generally not cheap, however, a decent motherboard for the LGA 1155 is slightly cheaper, if not more expensive, than entry-level boards for the LGA 2011 socket. At the same time, they retain the status of an older platform and will be the carrier of future processors known as Ivy Bridge-E. The Core i7-3820 The won’t appeal to amateur overclockers using air-cooled systems due to its heat dissipation and only partially unlocked multiplier. At the same time Intel Core i7-3820 demonstrates quite decent overclocking potential using liquid nitrogen.

Advantages of the Intel Core i7-3820 processor:
— cost that allows to make the promising Intel X79 Express platform more affordable
— performance
— four memory channels
— 40 PCI Express lanes
— DDR3-1600 memory support at the controller level

Minuses of the Intel Core i7-3820 processor:
— heat dissipation level of 130 W
— partially unlocked multiplier

The author would like to thank:
— Gigabyte for the board provided for testing;
— White Wind Company for the provided processor ;

Author: Evgeny Vologodsky aka daMMned

review of Core i7-4960X and Core i7-4930K processors