Pentium 957 vs Athlon II X2 215

CPU

GPU

Pentium 957

2 Cores2 Thrd17 WWMax: 1.2 GHz2011

Athlon II X2 215

2 Cores2 Thrd65 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2009

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Pentium 957

2 / 2

1,015

+0.4%

1,011

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

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.

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 Pentium 957 is positioned at rank 1146 and the Athlon II X2 215 is on rank 739, so the Athlon II X2 215 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 Pentium 957

#1134

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3876%

#1135

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3819%

#1136

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3506%

#1137

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3490%

#1138

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3458%

#1140

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3339%

#1141

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

3202%

#1142

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

3197%

#1143

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

3111%

#1146

Pentium 957

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

100%

#1147

Core 2 Duo SL9400

MSRP: $284|Avg: N/A

100%

#1149

Pentium N3540

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

99%

#1150

Core i7-3555LE

MSRP: $300|Avg: $280

99%

#1151

Core i3-2377M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

98%

#1152

Core 2 Duo E8435

MSRP: $150|Avg: $74

97%

#1153

Celeron M 723

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

97%

#1154

Core i7-3517UE

MSRP: $330|Avg: $35

95%

#1155

Core M-5Y51

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1156

Pentium N3530

MSRP: $161|Avg: $20

95%

#1157

Core i3-330E

MSRP: $177|Avg: $89

94%

#1159

Core i7-2640M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

93%

#1160

Core M-5Y71

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 215

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

13872%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

13108%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

9518%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

2867%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

2271%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

1987%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1138%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1123%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1023%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1023%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1011%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

984%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

970%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

966%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

957%

#288

Ryzen Threadripper 1950

MSRP: $999|Avg: $300

98%

#392

Celeron G4920

MSRP: $52|Avg: $115

99%

#739

Athlon II X2 215

MSRP: $45|Avg: $10

100%

#740

Core i7-4790S

MSRP: $312|Avg: $60

99%

#741

Pentium G2020T

MSRP: $64|Avg: $69

99%

#742

FX-6100

MSRP: $165|Avg: $25

99%

#743

Core i7-4771

MSRP: $320|Avg: $78

99%

#746

Core i7-4770S

MSRP: $305|Avg: $35

98%

#747

Core i5-6400T

MSRP: $192|Avg: $40

98%

#749

Core i5-3570K

MSRP: $225|Avg: $35

98%

#750

Athlon II X3 455

MSRP: $88|Avg: $15

98%

#751

Core i5-3570S

MSRP: $213|Avg: $59

98%

#752

Core i7-3770

MSRP: $294|Avg: $60

97%

#753

Pentium G2120

MSRP: $86|Avg: $20

97%

#754

Core i5-3340S

MSRP: $182|Avg: $25

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Athlon II X2 215 leads in gaming performance. However, the Pentium 957 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.4% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Pentium 957	Athlon II X2 215
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior 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 (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Pentium 957 stands out as the superior choice. It delivers superior performance at a comparable price point.

Insight	Pentium 957	Athlon II X2 215
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+0%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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.

Pentium 957 Benchmark Check

Athlon II X2 215 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium 957 and Athlon II X2 215

Pentium 957

The Pentium 957 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.2 GHz, with boost up to 1.2 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: 1,015 points. Launch price was $134.

Athlon II X2 215

The Athlon II X2 215 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,011 points. Launch price was $45.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Pentium 957 and Athlon II X2 215 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.2 GHz on the Pentium 957 versus 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X2 215 — a 76.9% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 215 (base: 1.2 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Pentium 957 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II X2 215 uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 957 scores 1,015 against the Athlon II X2 215's 1,011 — a 0.4% lead for the Pentium 957. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 957 vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 215.

Feature	Pentium 957	Athlon II X2 215
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.2 GHz	2.7 GHz+125%
Base Clock	1.2 GHz	2.7 GHz+125%
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	0 kB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB+100%
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Regor (2009−2013)
PassMark	1,015	1,011
Geekbench 6 Single	—	274
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	674

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium 957 uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X2 215 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium 957	Athlon II X2 215
Socket	BGA1023	AM3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	—	1333
Max RAM Capacity	—	16
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium 957) / true (Athlon II X2 215). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 215 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 215 rivals Pentium E5400.

Feature	Pentium 957	Athlon II X2 215
Integrated GPU	—	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	true
Target Use	—	Budget

💰

Value Analysis

The Pentium 957 launched at $134 MSRP, while the Athlon II X2 215 debuted at $45. At current prices ($10 vs $10), the Athlon II X2 215 is $0 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 957 delivers 101.5 pts/$ vs 101.1 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 215 — making the Pentium 957 the 0.4% better value option.