C-70 vs Pentium G860

AMD

C-70

2 Cores2 Thrd9 WWMax: 1.33 GHz2012
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Pentium G860

2 Cores2 Thrd256 WWMax: 3 GHz2011
Similar parts
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C-70 vs Pentium G860 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 G860: 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

  • +0.7% higher PassMark.
  • Draws 9W instead of 256W, a 247W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Pentium G860

2011

Why buy it

  • 300% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 4) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (1,485 vs 1,495).
  • Launch MSRP is still $86 MSRP, while C-70 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 2744.4% higher power demand at 256W vs 9W.

Quick Answers

So, is C-70 better than Pentium G860?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium G860 is ahead with a 1.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, C-70 pulls ahead with 0.7% 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 0.7% 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 $86 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% better PassMark. Pentium G860 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2011 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (17.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 G860 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 G860

The Pentium G860 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,485 points. Launch price was $75.

Processing Power

Both the C-70 and Pentium G860 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.33 GHz on the C-70 versus 3 GHz on the Pentium G860 — a 77.1% clock advantage for the Pentium G860 (base: 1 GHz vs 3 GHz). The C-70 uses the Ontario (2011−2012) architecture (40 nm), while the Pentium G860 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the C-70 scores 1,495 against the Pentium G860's 1,485 — a 0.7% lead for the C-70. L3 cache: 0 kB on the C-70 vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G860.

FeatureC-70Pentium G860
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 2
Boost Clock
1.33 GHz
3 GHz+126%
Base Clock
1 GHz
3 GHz+200%
L3 Cache
0 kB
3 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512K (per core)+100%
256K (per core)
Process
40 nm
32 nm-20%
Architecture
Ontario (2011−2012)
Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark
1,495
1,485
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Memory & Platform

The C-70 uses the FT1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium G860 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the C-70 versus DDR3-1333 on the Pentium G860 — the Pentium G860 supports 25% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Pentium G860 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB 700% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (C-70) vs 2 (Pentium G860). PCIe lanes: 4 (C-70) vs 16 (Pentium G860) — the Pentium G860 offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

FeatureC-70Pentium G860
Socket
FT1
LGA1155
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1066
DDR3-1333+25%
Max RAM Capacity
4 GB
32 GB+700%
RAM Channels
1
2+100%
ECC Support
No
No
PCIe Lanes
4
16+300%
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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (C-70) / VT-x (Pentium G860). Both include integrated graphics Radeon HD 7290 (C-70) and HD Graphics (Pentium G860) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium G860 targets Desktop.

FeatureC-70Pentium G860
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
Radeon HD 7290
HD Graphics
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x
Target Use
Desktop