Core 2 Duo E4400 vs Pentium B980

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.

Core 2 Duo E4400 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.

Core 2 Duo E4400 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.

Core 2 Duo E4400

2007

Why buy it

✅Costs $12 less on MSRP ($113 MSRP vs $125 MSRP).
✅Delivers 10.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 9.7 vs 8.8 PassMark/$ ($113 MSRP vs $125 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Pentium B980.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,095 vs 1,101).
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Pentium B980

2012

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.8 vs 9.7 PassMark/$ ($125 MSRP vs $113 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core 2 Duo E4400.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium B980 better than Core 2 Duo E4400?

Yes. Pentium B980 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 43 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 1.7% more average FPS across 43 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 still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium B980 comes in 10.6% more expensive on MSRP at $125 MSRP versus $113 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 43 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core 2 Duo E4400 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2007 platform. Even with 10.0% better value on paper (9.7 vs 8.8 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA775.

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 2007) 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.

Core 2 Duo E4400 vs Pentium B980 Technical Specifications

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

Core 2 Duo E4400

The Core 2 Duo E4400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Allendale (2006−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,095 points. Launch price was $249.

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.

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Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo E4400 and Pentium B980 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E4400 versus 2.4 GHz on the Pentium B980 — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Pentium B980 (base: 2 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core 2 Duo E4400 uses the Allendale (2006−2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium B980 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo E4400 scores 1,095 against the Pentium B980's 1,101 — a 0.5% lead for the Pentium B980. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Core 2 Duo E4400 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B980.

Feature	Core 2 Duo E4400	Pentium B980
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2 GHz	2.4 GHz+20%
Base Clock	2 GHz	2.4 GHz+20%
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB	256K (per core)+12700%
Process	65 nm	32 nm-51%
Architecture	Allendale (2006−2009)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,095	1,101
Geekbench 6 Single	208	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo E4400 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium B980 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 2 Duo E4400	Pentium B980
Socket	LGA775	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-1066	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: None (Core 2 Duo E4400) / not specified (Pentium B980). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo E4400 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core 2 Duo E4400 rivals Athlon II X2 240.

Feature	Core 2 Duo E4400	Pentium B980
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	None	—
Target Use	Budget	—

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Core 2 Duo E4400 was priced at $113, while the Pentium B980 came in at $125. On launch pricing ($113 vs $125), Core 2 Duo E4400 was $12 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 2 Duo E4400 delivers 9.7 pts/$ vs 8.8 pts/$ for the Pentium B980 — making the Core 2 Duo E4400 the 9.5% better value option.

Feature	Core 2 Duo E4400	Pentium B980
MSRP	$113-10%	$125
Performance per Dollar	9.7+10%	8.8
Release Date	2007	2012

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