Core i3-7020U vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

Core i3-7020U vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) Performance Spectrum

Core i3-7020U

2 / 4

2,567

+0.9%

Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

4 / 4

2,544

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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.

Core i3-7020U vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) 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 i3-7020U vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W): Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core i3-7020U

2018

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 125W, a 110W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 6 MB).

Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

2009

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 3 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,544 vs 2,567).
❌733.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-7020U better than Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) is ahead with a 0.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-7020U pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark. Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 3 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-7020U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i3-7020U still makes the most sense overall. Core i3-7020U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.9% better PassMark.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i3-7020U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i3-7020U vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) Technical Specifications

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

Core i3-7020U

The Core i3-7020U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,567 points. Launch price was $281.

Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

The Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,544 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Core i3-7020U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Core i3-7020U versus 3.4 GHz on the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) — a 38.6% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i3-7020U uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-7020U scores 2,567 against the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)'s 2,544 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i3-7020U. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i3-7020U vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W).

Feature	Core i3-7020U	Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.3 GHz	3.4 GHz+48%
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	3.4 GHz+48%
L3 Cache	3 MB	6 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	512 kB	512 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)	Deneb (2009−2011)
PassMark	2,567	2,544

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-7020U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.