Core i7-2657M vs Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition
Core i7-2657M
Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition
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 i7-2657M is positioned at rank 268 and the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition is on rank 146, so the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-2657M
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-2657M | Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Deneb (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-2657M | Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition |
|---|---|---|
| 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 i7-2657M and Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition
Core i7-2657M
The Core i7-2657M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 3,491 points. Launch price was $317.
Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition
The Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition 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. Max frequency: 2 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: 3,489 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i7-2657M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Core i7-2657M versus 2 GHz on the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition — a 29.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-2657M. The Core i7-2657M uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-2657M scores 3,491 against the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition's 3,489 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i7-2657M. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Core i7-2657M vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition.
| Feature | Core i7-2657M | Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2.7 GHz+35% | 2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.6 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB | 6 MB (total)+50% |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Deneb (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 3,491 | 3,489 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 535 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-2657M uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-2657M | Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1023 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-2657M) / not specified (Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition). The Core i7-2657M includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 3000), while the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-2657M targets Ultrabook. Direct competitor: Core i7-2657M rivals A6-3420M.
| Feature | Core i7-2657M | Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 3000 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Ultrabook | — |
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