Pentium 977 vs Ryzen 5 5600
Pentium 977
Ryzen 5 5600
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. The Pentium 977 is positioned at rank #1117 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 977
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 5600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium 977 | Ryzen 5 5600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($115) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Vermeer (2020−2025) / 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium 977 | Ryzen 5 5600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+63%) |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($115) |
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 Pentium 977 and Ryzen 5 5600
Pentium 977
The Pentium 977 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 1.4 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: 1,148 points. Launch price was $134.
Ryzen 5 5600
The Ryzen 5 5600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (2020−2025) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 21,550 points. Launch price was $299.
Processing Power
The Pentium 977 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Ryzen 5 5600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 5600 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.4 GHz on the Pentium 977 versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 5 5600 — a 103.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 5600 (base: 1.4 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Pentium 977 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Ryzen 5 5600 uses Vermeer (2020−2025) (7 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 977 scores 1,148 against the Ryzen 5 5600's 21,550 — a 179.8% lead for the Ryzen 5 5600. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 977 vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 5600.
| Feature | Pentium 977 | Ryzen 5 5600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 6 / 12+200% |
| Boost Clock | 1.4 GHz | 4.4 GHz+214% |
| Base Clock | 1.4 GHz | 3.5 GHz+150% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 32 MB (total)+1500% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512K (per core)+100% |
| Process | 32 nm | 7 nm-78% |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Vermeer (2020−2025) |
| PassMark | 1,148 | 21,550+1777% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 11,077 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 2,052 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 8,600 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium 977 uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Ryzen 5 5600 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium 977 | Ryzen 5 5600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1023 | AM4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 4.0+100% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-3200 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 24 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium 977) / AMD-V (Ryzen 5 5600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 5600 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Pentium 977 | Ryzen 5 5600 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Desktop |
Value Analysis
The Pentium 977 launched at $134 MSRP, while the Ryzen 5 5600 debuted at $199. At current prices ($10 vs $115), the Pentium 977 is $105 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 977 delivers 114.8 pts/$ vs 187.4 pts/$ for the Ryzen 5 5600 — making the Ryzen 5 5600 the 48% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium 977 | Ryzen 5 5600 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $134-33% | $199 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10-91% | $115 |
| Performance per Dollar | 114.8 | 187.4+63% |
| Release Date | 2012 | 2022 |
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