Pentium 957 vs Pentium D 960

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.

Pentium 957 vs Pentium D 960 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Pentium 957 vs Pentium D 960: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Pentium 957

2011

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $389 less on MSRP ($134 MSRP vs $523 MSRP).
✅Delivers 294.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 7.6 vs 1.9 PassMark/$ ($134 MSRP vs $523 MSRP).
✅Draws 17W instead of 130W, a 113W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Pentium D 960

2006

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,005 vs 1,015).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 1.9 vs 7.6 PassMark/$ ($523 MSRP vs $134 MSRP).
❌664.7% higher power demand at 130W vs 17W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium 957 better than Pentium D 960?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium D 960 is ahead with a 2.1% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 957 pulls ahead with 1% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 957 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Pentium 957 is the better buy right now. Pentium 957 comes in $389 cheaper on MSRP at $134 MSRP versus $523 MSRP, and it still gives you 1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Pentium D 960 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.1% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 294.2% better value on MSRP (7.6 vs 1.9 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Pentium 957 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2011 vs 2006) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Pentium 957 vs Pentium D 960 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

Pentium D 960

The Pentium D 960 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,005 points. Launch price was $523.

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Processing Power

Both the Pentium 957 and Pentium D 960 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.2 GHz on the Pentium 957 versus 3.6 GHz on the Pentium D 960 — a 100% clock advantage for the Pentium D 960 (base: 1.2 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Pentium 957 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium D 960 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 957 scores 1,015 against the Pentium D 960's 1,005 — a 1% lead for the Pentium 957. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 957 vs 0 kB on the Pentium D 960.

Feature	Pentium 957	Pentium D 960
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.2 GHz	3.6 GHz+200%
Base Clock	1.2 GHz	3.6 GHz+200%
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	0 kB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+12700%	2 MB (total)
Process	32 nm-51%	65 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	NetBurst (2000−2006)
PassMark	1,015	1,005

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium 957 uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium D 960 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium 957	Pentium D 960
Socket	BGA1023	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Pentium 957 was priced at $134, while the Pentium D 960 came in at $523. On launch pricing ($134 vs $523), Pentium 957 was $389 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 957 delivers 7.6 pts/$ vs 1.9 pts/$ for the Pentium D 960 — making the Pentium 957 the 119.1% better value option.

Feature	Pentium 957	Pentium D 960
MSRP	$134-74%	$523
Performance per Dollar	7.6+300%	1.9
Release Date	2011	2006

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