Core 2 Extreme X7800 vs Phenom X3 8850
Core 2 Extreme X7800
Phenom X3 8850
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 Extreme X7800 is positioned at rank 1145 and the Phenom X3 8850 is on rank 516, so the Phenom X3 8850 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Extreme X7800
Performance Per Dollar Phenom X3 8850
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Extreme X7800 | Phenom X3 8850 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Merom XE (2007) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Toliman (2008) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Extreme X7800 | Phenom X3 8850 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Extreme X7800 and Phenom X3 8850
Core 2 Extreme X7800
The Core 2 Extreme X7800 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 17 July 2007 (18 years ago). It is based on the Merom XE (2007) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 44 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,138 points. Launch price was $851.
Phenom X3 8850
The Phenom X3 8850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Toliman (2008) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,142 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core 2 Extreme X7800 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom X3 8850 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom X3 8850 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Core 2 Extreme X7800 versus 2.5 GHz on the Phenom X3 8850 — a 3.9% clock advantage for the Core 2 Extreme X7800. The Core 2 Extreme X7800 uses the Merom XE (2007) architecture (65 nm), while the Phenom X3 8850 uses Toliman (2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Extreme X7800 scores 1,138 against the Phenom X3 8850's 1,142 — a 0.4% lead for the Phenom X3 8850. L3 cache: 4 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Extreme X7800 vs 2 MB (total) on the Phenom X3 8850.
| Feature | Core 2 Extreme X7800 | Phenom X3 8850 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz+4% | 2.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB L2 Cache+100% | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+700% | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 65 nm | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Merom XE (2007) | Toliman (2008) |
| PassMark | 1,138 | 1,142 |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Extreme X7800 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Phenom X3 8850 uses AM2+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 2 Extreme X7800 | Phenom X3 8850 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | AM2+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-667 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 4 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Core 2 Extreme X7800) / not specified (Phenom X3 8850).
| Feature | Core 2 Extreme X7800 | Phenom X3 8850 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | Yes | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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