Core 2 Duo E8135 vs Pentium B960

CPU

GPU

Core 2 Duo E8135

2 Cores2 Thrd44 WWMax: 0.67 GHz2009

Pentium B960

2 Cores2 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core 2 Duo E8135

2 / 2

1,020

+0.1%

1,019

0.0%

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 Core 2 Duo E8135 is positioned at rank 1203 and the Pentium B960 is on rank 1144, so the Pentium B960 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo E8135

#1191

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

5753%

#1192

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

5669%

#1193

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

5204%

#1194

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

5180%

#1195

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

5133%

#1197

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

4957%

#1198

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

4753%

#1199

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

4745%

#1200

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

4618%

#1203

Core 2 Duo E8135

MSRP: $200|Avg: $15

100%

#1204

Core 2 Duo U7700

MSRP: $262|Avg: $10

100%

#1205

Core Duo T2400

MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A

99%

#1206

Core 2 Duo U7600

MSRP: $250|Avg: $5

99%

#1207

Pentium M 735

MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A

97%

#1208

Core i7-620LM

MSRP: $300|Avg: N/A

96%

#1209

Core i7-740QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

95%

#1211

Core 2 Solo SU3300

MSRP: $262|Avg: $50

93%

#1212

Celeron 540

MSRP: $86|Avg: $5

93%

#1213

Celeron U3600

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

91%

#1216

Core 2 Quad Q9000

MSRP: $348|Avg: $15

90%

#1217

Core i5-2537M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

90%

#1218

Core i7-720QM

MSRP: $364|Avg: N/A

89%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium B960

#1132

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3861%

#1133

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3804%

#1134

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3492%

#1135

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3476%

#1136

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3444%

#1138

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3326%

#1139

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

3189%

#1140

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

3184%

#1141

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

3099%

#1144

Pentium B960

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

100%

#1146

Pentium 957

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

100%

#1147

Core 2 Duo SL9400

MSRP: $284|Avg: N/A

99%

#1149

Pentium N3540

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

99%

#1150

Core i7-3555LE

MSRP: $300|Avg: $280

98%

#1151

Core i3-2377M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

97%

#1152

Core 2 Duo E8435

MSRP: $150|Avg: $74

97%

#1153

Celeron M 723

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

96%

#1154

Core M-5Y51

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1155

Core i7-3517UE

MSRP: $330|Avg: $35

95%

#1156

Pentium N3530

MSRP: $161|Avg: $20

95%

#1157

Core i3-330E

MSRP: $177|Avg: $89

94%

#1159

Core i7-2640M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Pentium B960 leads in gaming performance. However, the Core 2 Duo E8135 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.1% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core 2 Duo E8135	Pentium B960
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core 2 Duo E8135 stands out as the superior choice. It delivers superior performance at a comparable price point.

Insight	Core 2 Duo E8135	Pentium B960
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+0%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Core 2 Duo E8135 Benchmark Check

Pentium B960 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo E8135 and Pentium B960

Core 2 Duo E8135

The Core 2 Duo E8135 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.667 GHz, with boost up to 0.67 GHz. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: P. Thermal design power (TDP): 44 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,020 points. Launch price was $249.

Pentium B960

The Pentium B960 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 October 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 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: 1,019 points. Launch price was $134.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo E8135 and Pentium B960 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.67 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E8135 versus 2.2 GHz on the Pentium B960 — a 106.6% clock advantage for the Pentium B960 (base: 2.667 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core 2 Duo E8135 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium B960 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo E8135 scores 1,020 against the Pentium B960's 1,019 — a 0.1% lead for the Core 2 Duo E8135.

Feature	Core 2 Duo E8135	Pentium B960
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	0.67 GHz	2.2 GHz+228%
Base Clock	2.667 GHz+21%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	—	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	6 MB (total)+2300%	256K (per core)
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,020	1,019
Geekbench 6 Single	—	383
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	679

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo E8135 uses the P socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium B960 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 2 Duo E8135	Pentium B960
Socket	P	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	—	16 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

The Pentium B960 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)), while the Core 2 Duo E8135 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium B960 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Pentium B960 rivals AMD A8-3500M.

Feature	Core 2 Duo E8135	Pentium B960
Integrated GPU	—	Yes
IGPU Model	—	HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Target Use	—	Budget

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 2 Duo E8135 launched at $200 MSRP, while the Pentium B960 debuted at $134. At current prices ($15 vs $15), the Pentium B960 is $0 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 2 Duo E8135 delivers 68.0 pts/$ vs 67.9 pts/$ for the Pentium B960 — making the Core 2 Duo E8135 the 0.1% better value option.