Core i3-4158U vs Phenom X4 9850B
Core i3-4158U
Phenom X4 9850B
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 i3-4158U is positioned at rank 576 and the Phenom X4 9850B is on rank 331, so the Phenom X4 9850B offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-4158U
Performance Per Dollar Phenom X4 9850B
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-4158U | Phenom X4 9850B |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Agena (2007−2008) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-4158U | Phenom X4 9850B |
|---|---|---|
| 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 i3-4158U and Phenom X4 9850B
Core i3-4158U
The Core i3-4158U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,921 points. Launch price was $315.
Phenom X4 9850B
The Phenom X4 9850B is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Agena (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 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: 1,946 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i3-4158U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom X4 9850B offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom X4 9850B has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Core i3-4158U versus 2.5 GHz on the Phenom X4 9850B — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Phenom X4 9850B. The Core i3-4158U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Phenom X4 9850B uses Agena (2007−2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-4158U scores 1,921 against the Phenom X4 9850B's 1,946 — a 1.3% lead for the Phenom X4 9850B. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-4158U vs 2 MB (total) on the Phenom X4 9850B.
| Feature | Core i3-4158U | Phenom X4 9850B |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 2.5 GHz+25% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total)+50% | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 22 nm-66% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Agena (2007−2008) |
| PassMark | 1,921 | 1,946+1% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 457 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-4158U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom X4 9850B uses AM2+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i3-4158U | Phenom X4 9850B |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | AM2+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Core i3-4158U) / not specified (Phenom X4 9850B). The Core i3-4158U includes integrated graphics (Intel Iris Graphics 5100), while the Phenom X4 9850B requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-4158U targets Multimedia.
| Feature | Core i3-4158U | Phenom X4 9850B |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel Iris Graphics 5100 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x / VT-d / EPT | — |
| Target Use | Multimedia | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Core i3-4158U and Phenom X4 9850B
