Athlon 64 X2 3800+ vs Pentium E5700

Athlon 64 X2 3800+ vs Pentium E5700 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 X2 3800+

2 / 2

1,095

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium E5700

2 / 2

1,096

+0.1%

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 E5700 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 E5700: 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 1,096).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 3.1 vs 14.6 PassMark/$ ($354 MSRP vs $75 MSRP).
❌36.9% higher power demand at 89W vs 65W.

Pentium E5700

2010

Why buy it

✅Costs $279 less on MSRP ($75 MSRP vs $354 MSRP).
✅Delivers 372.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 14.6 vs 3.1 PassMark/$ ($75 MSRP vs $354 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 89W, a 24W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium E5700 better than Athlon 64 X2 3800+?

Yes. Pentium E5700 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.1% 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 E5700 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.1% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium E5700 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium E5700 is the better buy right now. Pentium E5700 comes in $279 cheaper on MSRP at $75 MSRP versus $354 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 372.4% better value on MSRP (14.6 vs 3.1 PassMark/$), 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 E5700 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 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 E5700 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 E5700

The Pentium E5700 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 August 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,096 points. Launch price was $110.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ and Pentium E5700 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ versus 3 GHz on the Pentium E5700 — a 40% clock advantage for the Pentium E5700. The Athlon 64 X2 3800+ uses the Manchester (2005−2006) architecture (90 nm), while the Pentium E5700 uses Wolfdale (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ scores 1,095 against the Pentium E5700's 1,096 — a 0.1% lead for the Pentium E5700. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 3800+	Pentium E5700
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2 GHz	3 GHz+50%
Base Clock	—	3 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB	2 MB (total)+300%
Process	90 nm	45 nm-50%
Architecture	Manchester (2005−2006)	Wolfdale (2008−2010)
PassMark	1,095	1,096

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon 64 X2 3800+ uses the 939 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium E5700 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 3800+	Pentium E5700
Socket	939	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 1.1
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 E5700 came in at $75. On launch pricing ($354 vs $75), Pentium E5700 was $279 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ delivers 3.1 pts/$ vs 14.6 pts/$ for the Pentium E5700 — making the Pentium E5700 the 130.1% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 3800+	Pentium E5700
MSRP	$354	$75-79%
Performance per Dollar	3.1	14.6+371%
Release Date	2005	2010

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