CPU
GPU
Core 2 Extreme X7900
Pentium B980
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 X7900 is positioned at rank 1162 and the Pentium B980 is on rank 1110, so the Pentium B980 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 X7900
Performance Per Dollar Pentium B980
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Extreme X7900 | Pentium B980 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Merom (2006−2008) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Extreme X7900 | Pentium B980 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) |
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 X7900 and Pentium B980
Core 2 Extreme X7900
The Core 2 Extreme X7900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2007 (18 years ago). It is based on the Merom (2006−2008) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 44 Watt. Memory support: DDR1. Passmark benchmark score: 1,115 points. Launch price was $851.
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.
Processing Power
Both the Core 2 Extreme X7900 and Pentium B980 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Core 2 Extreme X7900 versus 2.4 GHz on the Pentium B980 — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Core 2 Extreme X7900 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core 2 Extreme X7900 uses the Merom (2006−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium B980 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Extreme X7900 scores 1,115 against the Pentium B980's 1,101 — a 1.3% lead for the Core 2 Extreme X7900. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Core 2 Extreme X7900 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B980.
| Feature | Core 2 Extreme X7900 | Pentium B980 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz+17% | 2.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz+17% | 2.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB+1500% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 65 nm | 32 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Merom (2006−2008) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,115+1% | 1,101 |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Extreme X7900 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium B980 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 2 Extreme X7900 | Pentium B980 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | PGA988 |
| 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 | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Core 2 Extreme X7900) / not specified (Pentium B980). Primary use case: Core 2 Extreme X7900 targets Mobile.
| Feature | Core 2 Extreme X7900 | Pentium B980 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | Yes | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Mobile | — |
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