Core 2 Duo E8335 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 E8335 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 E8335 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 E8335

2009

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,094 vs 1,101).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 5.5 vs 8.8 PassMark/$ ($200 MSRP vs $125 MSRP).
❌25.7% higher power demand at 44W vs 35W.

Pentium B980

2012

Why buy it

✅Costs $75 less on MSRP ($125 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
✅Delivers 61.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 8.8 vs 5.5 PassMark/$ ($125 MSRP vs $200 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 44W, a 9W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium B980 better than Core 2 Duo E8335?

Yes. Pentium B980 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.6% 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 1.9% more average FPS across 50 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 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Pentium B980 is the better buy right now. Pentium B980 comes in $75 cheaper on MSRP at $125 MSRP versus $200 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 61.0% better value on MSRP (8.8 vs 5.5 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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 2009) 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 E8335 vs Pentium B980 Technical Specifications

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

Core 2 Duo E8335

The Core 2 Duo E8335 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 2.933 GHz, with boost up to 0.93 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: 1,094 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 E8335 and Pentium B980 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.93 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E8335 versus 2.4 GHz on the Pentium B980 — a 88.3% clock advantage for the Pentium B980 (base: 2.933 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core 2 Duo E8335 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium B980 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo E8335 scores 1,094 against the Pentium B980's 1,101 — a 0.6% lead for the Pentium B980.

Feature	Core 2 Duo E8335	Pentium B980
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	0.93 GHz	2.4 GHz+158%
Base Clock	2.933 GHz+22%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	—	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	6 MB (total)	256K (per core)+4167%
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,094	1,101

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo E8335 uses the P socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium B980 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 2 Duo E8335	Pentium B980
Socket	P	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Core 2 Duo E8335 was priced at $200, while the Pentium B980 came in at $125. On launch pricing ($200 vs $125), Pentium B980 was $75 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 2 Duo E8335 delivers 5.5 pts/$ vs 8.8 pts/$ for the Pentium B980 — making the Pentium B980 the 46.8% better value option.

Feature	Core 2 Duo E8335	Pentium B980
MSRP	$200	$125-38%
Performance per Dollar	5.5	8.8+60%
Release Date	2009	2012

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