Core i7-920
VS
Phenom II X2 X640 BE

Core i7-920 vs Phenom II X2 X640 BE

Intel

Core i7-920

4 Cores8 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.93 GHz2008
VS
AMD

Phenom II X2 X640 BE

2 Cores2 Thrd2 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2011

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 i7-920 is positioned at rank 997 and the Phenom II X2 X640 BE is on rank 136, so the Phenom II X2 X640 BE 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 i7-920

#1
Ryzen 9 7950X
MSRP: $194|Avg: $20
30893%
#2
Core i9-10900T
MSRP: $120|Avg: $5
29191%
#3
Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE
MSRP: $423|Avg: $5
21195%
#4
Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85
6385%
#5
Ryzen 9 9950X
MSRP: $649|Avg: $129
5058%
#6
Ryzen 5 8400F
MSRP: $303|Avg: $55
4425%
#7
Ryzen 7 PRO 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $60
2534%
#8
Ryzen 5 2600X
MSRP: $229|Avg: $55
2501%
#9
Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
MSRP: $150|Avg: $60
2277%
#10
Core Ultra 5 245KF
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
2277%
#11
Ryzen 5 5500
MSRP: $159|Avg: $85
2252%
#12
Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $80
2191%
#13
Core i3-9100E
MSRP: $202|Avg: $30
2160%
#14
Core Ultra 5 245K
MSRP: $319|Avg: $200
2152%
#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
2132%
#997
Core i7-920
MSRP: $284|Avg: $79
100%
#998
Core i7-4960X
MSRP: $990|Avg: $136
100%
#999
Pentium Dual-Core E2200
MSRP: $100|Avg: $25
98%
#1001
Core 2 Duo E4400
MSRP: $113|Avg: $20
96%
#1002
Pentium D 915
MSRP: $74|Avg: $10
94%
#1003
Core 2 Quad Q9400
MSRP: $229|Avg: $25
93%
#1004
Core i5-655K
MSRP: $216|Avg: $55
93%
#1005
Celeron 450
MSRP: $53|Avg: $5
93%
#1006
Core 2 Duo E4600
MSRP: $133|Avg: $9.6
92%
#1008
Core i7-870S
MSRP: $300|Avg: $80
91%
#1009
Core 2 Duo E6540
MSRP: $163|Avg: $15
91%
#1010
Celeron 430
MSRP: $49|Avg: $10
91%
#1011
Athlon X2 BE-2300
MSRP: $100|Avg: $80
90%
#1012
Core i7-875K
MSRP: $353|Avg: $175
89%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X2 X640 BE

#36
Core i5-11500B
MSRP: $185|Avg: $185
98%
#124
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
310%
#125
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
306%
#126
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
280%
#127
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
279%
#128
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
277%
#130
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
267%
#131
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
256%
#132
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
256%
#133
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
249%
#136
Phenom II X2 X640 BE
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#137
N200
MSRP: $193|Avg: N/A
100%
#138
Core 2 Duo SP9600
MSRP: $316|Avg: N/A
100%
#140
Core 2 Duo P8700
MSRP: $241|Avg: $85
99%
#147
Atom N2800
MSRP: $47|Avg: $3
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Phenom II X2 X640 BE leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i7-920 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.9% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightCore i7-920Phenom II X2 X640 BE
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($79)
More affordable ($0)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Bloomfield (2008−2010) / 45 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore i7-920Phenom II X2 X640 BE
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($79)
More affordable ($0)

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-920 and Phenom II X2 X640 BE

Intel

Core i7-920

The Core i7-920 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Novembro 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Bloomfield (2008−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 2.93 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,866 points. Launch price was $340.

AMD

Phenom II X2 X640 BE

The Phenom II X2 X640 BE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 3.2 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,839 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

The Core i7-920 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the Phenom II X2 X640 BE offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Core i7-920 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.93 GHz on the Core i7-920 versus 3.2 GHz on the Phenom II X2 X640 BE — a 8.8% clock advantage for the Phenom II X2 X640 BE. The Core i7-920 uses the Bloomfield (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X2 X640 BE uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-920 scores 2,866 against the Phenom II X2 X640 BE's 2,839 — a 0.9% lead for the Core i7-920.

FeatureCore i7-920Phenom II X2 X640 BE
Cores / Threads
4 / 8+100%
2 / 2
Boost Clock
2.93 GHz
3.2 GHz+9%
Base Clock
2.66 GHz
L3 Cache
8 MB (total)
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
2 MB+700%
Process
45 nm
45 nm
Architecture
Bloomfield (2008−2010)
Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark
2,866
2,839
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-920 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X2 X640 BE uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i7-920Phenom II X2 X640 BE
Socket
LGA1366
S1
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0