C-70 vs Pentium G850

AMD

C-70

2 Cores2 Thrd9 WWMax: 1.33 GHz2012
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Pentium G850

2 Cores2 Thrd65 WWMax: 2.9 GHz2011
Similar parts
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C-70 vs Pentium G850 Performance Spectrum

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.

C-70 vs Pentium G850: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

C-70

2012

Why buy it

  • +0.3% higher PassMark.
  • Draws 9W instead of 65W, a 56W reduction.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon HD 7290, while Pentium G850 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

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

Pentium G850

2011

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • Lower PassMark (1,491 vs 1,495).
    • Launch MSRP is still $86 MSRP, while C-70 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
    • 622.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 9W.
    • No integrated graphics, while C-70 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

    Quick Answers

    So, is C-70 better than Pentium G850?
    It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium G850 is ahead with a 1.9% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, C-70 pulls ahead with 0.3% better PassMark.
    Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
    For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, C-70 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
    Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
    C-70 is still the much better call for a fresh build. C-70 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $86 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.3% better PassMark. Pentium G850 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2011 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (17.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1155.
    Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
    C-70 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2011) 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.

    C-70 vs Pentium G850 Technical Specifications

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

    AMD

    C-70

    The C-70 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ontario (2011−2012) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1 GHz, with boost up to 1.33 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 40 nm process technology. Socket: FT1. Thermal design power (TDP): 9 Watt. Memory support: DDR3 Single-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 1,495 points. Launch price was $69.

    Intel

    Pentium G850

    The Pentium G850 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 22 May 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,491 points. Launch price was $27.

    Processing Power

    Both the C-70 and Pentium G850 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.33 GHz on the C-70 versus 2.9 GHz on the Pentium G850 — a 74.2% clock advantage for the Pentium G850 (base: 1 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The C-70 uses the Ontario (2011−2012) architecture (40 nm), while the Pentium G850 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the C-70 scores 1,495 against the Pentium G850's 1,491 — a 0.3% lead for the C-70. L3 cache: 0 kB on the C-70 vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G850.

    FeatureC-70Pentium G850
    Cores / Threads
    2 / 2
    2 / 2
    Boost Clock
    1.33 GHz
    2.9 GHz+118%
    Base Clock
    1 GHz
    2.9 GHz+190%
    L3 Cache
    0 kB
    3 MB (total)
    L2 Cache
    512K (per core)+100%
    256 kB (per core)
    Process
    40 nm
    32 nm-20%
    Architecture
    Ontario (2011−2012)
    Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
    PassMark
    1,495
    1,491
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The C-70 uses the FT1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium G850 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeatureC-70Pentium G850
    Socket
    FT1
    LGA1155
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 2.0
    PCIe 2.0
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR3-1066
    Max RAM Capacity
    4 GB
    RAM Channels
    1
    ECC Support
    No
    PCIe Lanes
    4
    🔧

    Advanced Features

    The C-70 includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 7290), while the Pentium G850 requires a dedicated GPU.

    FeatureC-70Pentium G850
    Integrated GPU
    Yes
    IGPU Model
    Radeon HD 7290