Core i5-2537M vs Pentium 977

CPU

GPU

Core i5-2537M

2 Cores4 Thrd17 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2011

Pentium 977

2 Cores2 Thrd17 WWMax: 1.4 GHz2012

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-2537M

2 / 4

1,144

0.0%

1,148

+0.3%

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 i5-2537M is positioned at rank 1217 and the Pentium 977 is on rank 1117, so the Pentium 977 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-2537M

#1205

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

6406%

#1206

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

6312%

#1207

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

5795%

#1208

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

5769%

#1209

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

5716%

#1211

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

5520%

#1212

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

5293%

#1213

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

5284%

#1214

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

5142%

#1217

Core i5-2537M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

100%

#1218

Core i7-720QM

MSRP: $364|Avg: N/A

99%

#1219

Pentium U5400

MSRP: $289|Avg: $214

97%

#1220

Pentium T2330

MSRP: $150|Avg: $7

97%

#1221

Z-01

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

94%

#1222

Pentium T2310

MSRP: $150|Avg: $14

91%

#1223

Celeron SU2300

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

89%

#1224

Core i5-560UM

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

89%

#1225

Core i7-660UM

MSRP: $317|Avg: N/A

88%

#1226

C-30

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

88%

#1228

Core i7-620UM

MSRP: $278|Avg: N/A

86%

#1230

Celeron 570

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

82%

#1232

Core i7-820QM

MSRP: $546|Avg: N/A

73%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium 977

#1105

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3424%

#1106

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3373%

#1107

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3097%

#1108

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3083%

#1109

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3055%

#1111

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2950%

#1112

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2828%

#1113

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2824%

#1114

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2748%

#1117

Pentium 977

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

100%

#1118

Core i7-2715QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $50

99%

#1119

VIA Nano U2250

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

99%

#1121

Core i5-560M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

98%

#1122

Pentium U5600

MSRP: $100|Avg: $50

97%

#1123

Core m5-6Y57

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

97%

#1125

Core i7-610E

MSRP: $250|Avg: $40

97%

#1126

Core i5-5350U

MSRP: $315|Avg: N/A

96%

#1127

Core i7-3520M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

96%

#1128

Pentium Dual Core T4300

MSRP: $150|Avg: $99

96%

#1129

Core i3-4100E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $30

96%

#1130

Core i3-2310E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $20

96%

#1131

Core i5-2510E

MSRP: $230|Avg: $30

96%

#1132

Core m5-6Y54

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i5-2537M leads in gaming performance. However, the Pentium 977 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.3% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i5-2537M	Pentium 977
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($250)	✅ More affordable ($10)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Pentium 977 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 96% cheaper ($10 vs $250) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core i5-2537M	Pentium 977
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+2409%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($250)	✅ More affordable ($10)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Core i5-2537M Benchmark Check

Pentium 977 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-2537M and Pentium 977

Core i5-2537M

The Core i5-2537M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,144 points. Launch price was $250.

Pentium 977

The Pentium 977 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 1.4 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,148 points. Launch price was $134.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-2537M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Pentium 977's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Core i5-2537M versus 1.4 GHz on the Pentium 977 — a 48.6% clock advantage for the Core i5-2537M (base: 1.4 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). Both are built on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture using a 32 nm process. In PassMark, the Core i5-2537M scores 1,144 against the Pentium 977's 1,148 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium 977. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-2537M vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 977.

Feature	Core i5-2537M	Pentium 977
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.3 GHz+64%	1.4 GHz
Base Clock	1.4 GHz	1.4 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)+50%	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,144	1,148
Geekbench 6 Single	427	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	717	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the BGA1023 socket with PCIe 2.0.

Feature	Core i5-2537M	Pentium 977
Socket	BGA1023	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Core i5-2537M) / not specified (Pentium 977). The Core i5-2537M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 3000), while the Pentium 977 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i5-2537M rivals Core i5-2410M.