Athlon 64 X2 3800+ vs Pentium B980

Athlon 64 X2 3800+ vs Pentium B980 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 X2 3800+

2 / 2

1,095

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium B980

2 / 2

1,101

+0.5%

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Athlon 64 X2 3800+ vs Pentium B980 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Athlon 64 X2 3800+ vs Pentium B980: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon 64 X2 3800+

2005

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,095 vs 1,101).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 3.1 vs 8.8 PassMark/$ ($354 MSRP vs $125 MSRP).
❌154.3% higher power demand at 89W vs 35W.

Pentium B980

2012

Why buy it

✅Costs $229 less on MSRP ($125 MSRP vs $354 MSRP).
✅Delivers 184.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 8.8 vs 3.1 PassMark/$ ($125 MSRP vs $354 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 89W, a 54W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium B980 better than Athlon 64 X2 3800+?

Yes. Pentium B980 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.5% average FPS lead across 40 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.5% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium B980 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.5% more average FPS across 40 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium B980 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Pentium B980 is the better buy right now. Pentium B980 comes in $229 cheaper on MSRP at $125 MSRP versus $354 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.5% average FPS lead across 40 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 184.8% better value on MSRP (8.8 vs 3.1 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Pentium B980 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2005) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon 64 X2 3800+ vs Pentium B980 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Athlon 64 X2 3800+

The Athlon 64 X2 3800+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Manchester (2005−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,095 points. Launch price was $149.

Pentium B980

The Pentium B980 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,101 points. Launch price was $125.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ and Pentium B980 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ versus 2.4 GHz on the Pentium B980 — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Pentium B980. The Athlon 64 X2 3800+ uses the Manchester (2005−2006) architecture (90 nm), while the Pentium B980 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ scores 1,095 against the Pentium B980's 1,101 — a 0.5% lead for the Pentium B980. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B980.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 3800+	Pentium B980
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2 GHz	2.4 GHz+20%
Base Clock	—	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB+100%	256K (per core)
Process	90 nm	32 nm-64%
Architecture	Manchester (2005−2006)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,095	1,101

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon 64 X2 3800+ uses the 939 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium B980 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 3800+	Pentium B980
Socket	939	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-800	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ was priced at $354, while the Pentium B980 came in at $125. On launch pricing ($354 vs $125), Pentium B980 was $229 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ delivers 3.1 pts/$ vs 8.8 pts/$ for the Pentium B980 — making the Pentium B980 the 96% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 3800+	Pentium B980
MSRP	$354	$125-65%
Performance per Dollar	3.1	8.8+184%
Release Date	2005	2012

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