Pentium 967 vs Phenom II X4 N970

Pentium 967 vs Phenom II X4 N970 Performance Spectrum

Pentium 967

2 / 2

1,640

0.0%

1,647

+0.4%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

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.

Pentium 967 vs Phenom II X4 N970 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 967 vs Phenom II X4 N970: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium 967

2011

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,640 vs 1,647).
❌Launch MSRP is still $134 MSRP, while Phenom II X4 N970 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌750% higher power demand at 17W vs 2W.

Phenom II X4 N970

2010

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 17W, a 15W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Phenom II X4 N970 better than Pentium 967?

Yes. Phenom II X4 N970 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.4% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Phenom II X4 N970 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X4 N970 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Phenom II X4 N970 is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Phenom II X4 N970 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $134 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium 967 only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 1.7% in the shared gaming data.

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

Pentium 967 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2011 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Pentium 967 vs Phenom II X4 N970 Technical Specifications

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

Pentium 967

The Pentium 967 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 October 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 1.3 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: 1,640 points. Launch price was $134.

Phenom II X4 N970

The Phenom II X4 N970 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,647 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium 967 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X4 N970 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 N970 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.3 GHz on the Pentium 967 versus 2.2 GHz on the Phenom II X4 N970 — a 51.4% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 N970. The Pentium 967 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Phenom II X4 N970 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 967 scores 1,640 against the Phenom II X4 N970's 1,647 — a 0.4% lead for the Phenom II X4 N970.

Feature	Pentium 967	Phenom II X4 N970
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	1.3 GHz	2.2 GHz+69%
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	—
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+12700%	2 MB
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,640	1,647

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium 967 uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X4 N970 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.