Intel Core i7 3960X Linux
First tests of the Intel Core i7 3960X Sandy Bridge Extreme Edition processor under Linux. Using an Ubuntu 12.04 LTS 64-bit snapshot with the Linux 3.2 kernel. More tests are on the way on Phoronix.com by Michael Larabel. Thanks to Intel Corp for sending out the Core i7 3960X, the Intel X79 motherboard, and the Intel water cooling kit for Sandy-E.


Intel Core i7 3960X: 

	Processor: Intel Core i7-3960X @ 3.30GHz (12 Cores), Motherboard: Intel DX79SI, Chipset: Intel Sandy DMI2, Memory: 16384MB, Disk: 240GB OCZ VERTEX3, Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 6900 2048MB (800/1250MHz), Audio: Realtek ALC892, Monitor: DELL P2210H, Network: Intel 82579LM Gigabit Connection

	OS: Ubuntu 12.04, Kernel: 3.2.0-3-generic (x86_64), Desktop: Unity 4.24.0, Display Server: X Server 1.10.4, Display Driver: fglrx 8.91.4 Catalyst 11.11, OpenGL: 4.1.11251, Compiler: GCC 4.6, File-System: ext4, Screen Resolution: 1920x1080

AMD Phenom II X4 955 @ 3.60GHz: 

	Processor: AMD Phenom II X4 955 @ 3.60GHz (4 Cores), Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-880GM-UD2H, Chipset: AMD RS780 + SB700/SB800, Memory: 6144MB, Disk: 500GB Seagate ST3500320AS, Graphics: AMD Radeon HD 4250, Audio: Realtek ALC892, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Realtek RTL8111/8168B

	OS: Fedora 14, Kernel: 2.6.35.14-103.fc14.i686.PAE (i686), Desktop: KDE 4.6.5, Display Server: X Server 1.9.5, Display Driver: radeon 6.13.99, OpenGL: 2.1 Mesa 7.9, Compiler: GCC 4.6.0, File-System: ext2/ext3, Screen Resolution: 1280x1024

AMD Phenom II x6 1100T @ 3.71GHz: 

	Processor: AMD Phenom II X6 1100T @ 3.70GHz (6 Cores), Motherboard: ASUS M4A89GTD-PRO/USB3, Chipset: AMD RS780, Memory: 2 x 4096 MB 800MHz, Disk: 64GB PATRIOT 6 + 1000GB Western Digital WDC WD10EARS-003 + 320GB Western Digital WDC WD3200AAKS-0 + 160GB SAMSUNG HM160HI, Graphics: ATI Device 9714, Audio: ATI RS690/780 HDMI, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Realtek RTL8111/8168B

	OS: Gentoo 2.1, Kernel: 3.1.1-hardened-gerge-v (x86_64), Desktop: KDE 4.7.3, Display Server: X Server 1.11.0, Display Driver: radeon 6.14.99, Compiler: GCC 4.6.1 + Clang 4.2.1, File-System: ext2/ext3, Screen Resolution: 2048x1152

AMD Phenom II x6 @ 3.90GHz DDR3 ECC @ 1600: 

	Processor: AMD Phenom II X6 1100T @ 3.70GHz (6 Cores), Motherboard: ASUS M4A89GTD-PRO/USB3, Chipset: AMD RS780, Memory: 2 x 4096 MB 800MHz, Disk: 64GB PATRIOT 6 + 1000GB Western Digital WDC WD10EARS-003 + 320GB Western Digital WDC WD3200AAKS-0 + 160GB SAMSUNG HM160HI, Graphics: ATI Device 9714, Audio: ATI RS690/780 HDMI, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Realtek RTL8111/8168B

	OS: Gentoo 2.1, Kernel: 3.1.1-hardened-gerge-v (x86_64), Desktop: KDE 4.7.3, Display Server: X Server 1.11.0, Display Driver: radeon 6.14.99, Compiler: GCC 4.6.1 + Clang 4.2.1, File-System: ext2/ext3, Screen Resolution: 2048x1152

AMD Phenom II x6 @ 4.00GHz DDR3 ECC @ 1600: 

	Processor: AMD Phenom II X6 1100T @ 4.00GHz (6 Cores), Motherboard: ASUS M4A89GTD-PRO/USB3, Chipset: AMD RS780, Memory: 2 x 4096 MB DDR3-1333MHz, Disk: 64GB PATRIOT 6 + 1000GB Western Digital WDC WD10EARS-003 + 320GB Western Digital WDC WD3200AAKS-0 + 160GB SAMSUNG HM160HI, Graphics: ATI Device 9714, Audio: ATI SBx00 Azalia, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Realtek RTL8111/8168B

	OS: Gentoo 2.1, Kernel: 3.1.1-hardened-gerge-v (x86_64), Desktop: KDE 4.7.3, Display Server: X Server 1.11.0, Display Driver: radeon 6.14.99, Compiler: GCC 4.6.1 + Clang 4.2.1, File-System: ext2/ext3, Screen Resolution: 2048x1152

AMD Phenom II x6 @ 4.0GHz DDR3 ECC @ 1600: 

	Processor: AMD Phenom II X6 1100T @ 4.00GHz (6 Cores), Motherboard: ASUS M4A89GTD-PRO/USB3, Chipset: AMD RS780, Memory: 2 x 4096 MB DDR3-1333MHz, Disk: 64GB PATRIOT 6 + 1000GB Western Digital WDC WD10EARS-003 + 320GB Western Digital WDC WD3200AAKS-0 + 160GB SAMSUNG HM160HI, Graphics: ATI Device 9714, Audio: ATI SBx00 Azalia, Monitor: SyncMaster, Network: Realtek RTL8111/8168B

	OS: Gentoo 2.1, Kernel: 3.1.1-hardened-gerge-v (x86_64), Display Driver: ati 6.14.99, Compiler: GCC 4.6.1 + Clang 4.2.1, File-System: ext2/ext3, Screen Resolution: 2048x1152


Timed Linux Kernel Compilation 3.1
Time To Compile
Seconds < Lower Is Better
Intel Core i7 3960X ........................ 58.76  |=============
AMD Phenom II X4 955 @ 3.60GHz ............. 118.48 |==========================
AMD Phenom II x6 1100T @ 3.71GHz ........... 93.73  |=====================
AMD Phenom II x6 @ 3.90GHz DDR3 ECC @ 1600 . 89.22  |====================
AMD Phenom II x6 @ 4.00GHz DDR3 ECC @ 1600 . 92.07  |====================
AMD Phenom II x6 @ 4.0GHz DDR3 ECC @ 1600 .. 91.68  |====================


C-Ray 1.1
Total Time
Seconds < Lower Is Better
Intel Core i7 3960X .............. 36.23  |========
AMD Phenom II X4 955 @ 3.60GHz ... 170.32 |====================================
AMD Phenom II x6 1100T @ 3.71GHz . 71.18  |===============


Smallpt 1.0
Global Illumination Renderer; 100 Samples
Seconds < Lower Is Better
Intel Core i7 3960X ........................ 67  |========
AMD Phenom II X4 955 @ 3.60GHz ............. 240 |=============================
AMD Phenom II x6 1100T @ 3.71GHz ........... 113 |==============
AMD Phenom II x6 @ 3.90GHz DDR3 ECC @ 1600 . 108 |=============
AMD Phenom II x6 @ 4.00GHz DDR3 ECC @ 1600 . 105 |=============
AMD Phenom II x6 @ 4.0GHz DDR3 ECC @ 1600 .. 104 |=============