Atom x7-E3950 vs Pentium G2120
Atom x7-E3950
Pentium G2120
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Atom x7-E3950 is positioned at rank 480 and the Pentium G2120 is on rank 753, so the Atom x7-E3950 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Atom x7-E3950
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G2120
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Atom x7-E3950 | Pentium G2120 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Apollo Lake (2014−2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Atom x7-E3950 | Pentium G2120 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Atom x7-E3950 and Pentium G2120
Atom x7-E3950
The Atom x7-E3950 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1296. Thermal design power (TDP): 12 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,864 points. Launch price was $57.
Pentium G2120
The Pentium G2120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,876 points. Launch price was $88.
Processing Power
The Atom x7-E3950 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium G2120 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Atom x7-E3950 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Atom x7-E3950 versus 3.1 GHz on the Pentium G2120 — a 43.1% clock advantage for the Pentium G2120 (base: 1.6 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Atom x7-E3950 uses the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Pentium G2120 uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Atom x7-E3950 scores 1,864 against the Pentium G2120's 1,876 — a 0.6% lead for the Pentium G2120. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Atom x7-E3950 vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G2120.
| Feature | Atom x7-E3950 | Pentium G2120 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 3.1 GHz+55% |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | 3.1 GHz+94% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (total)+700% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-36% | 22 nm |
| Architecture | Apollo Lake (2014−2016) | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,864 | 1,876 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 245 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Atom x7-E3950 uses the FCBGA1296 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium G2120 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches LPDDR4-2400 on the Atom x7-E3950 versus DDR3-1600 on the Pentium G2120 — the Atom x7-E3950 supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Pentium G2120 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 4 (Atom x7-E3950) vs 2 (Pentium G2120). PCIe lanes: 6 (Atom x7-E3950) vs 16 (Pentium G2120) — the Pentium G2120 offers 10 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Atom x7-E3950 | Pentium G2120 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1296 | LGA1155 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | LPDDR4-2400+33% | DDR3-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 32 GB+300% |
| RAM Channels | 4+100% | 2 |
| ECC Support | ✅ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 6 | 16+167% |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Atom x7-E3950) vs VT-x (Pentium G2120). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics 505 (Atom x7-E3950) and HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge) (Pentium G2120) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium G2120 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Atom x7-E3950 | Pentium G2120 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 505 | HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge) |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | VT-x |
| Target Use | — | Desktop |
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