Core i5-670 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)
Core i5-670
Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)
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 i5-670 is positioned at rank 1013 and the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) is on rank 240, so the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-670
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-670 | Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Clarkdale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Deneb (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-670 | Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 i5-670 and Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)
Core i5-670
The Core i5-670 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.46 GHz, with boost up to 3.73 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 73 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,553 points. Launch price was $252.
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.
Processing Power
The Core i5-670 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 3.73 GHz on the Core i5-670 versus 3.4 GHz on the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) — a 9.3% clock advantage for the Core i5-670 (base: 3.46 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i5-670 uses the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-670 scores 2,553 against the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)'s 2,544 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i5-670. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i5-670 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W).
| Feature | Core i5-670 | Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.73 GHz+10% | 3.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.46 GHz+2% | 3.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 6 MB (total)+50% |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Clarkdale (2010−2011) | Deneb (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,553 | 2,544 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 638 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-670 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-670 | Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1156 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-670) / not specified (Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)). The Core i5-670 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics), while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-670 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-670 rivals Phenom II X4 955.
| Feature | Core i5-670 | Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Legacy Desktop | — |
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