CPU
GPU
Pentium 987
Athlon II X3 415e
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 Pentium 987 is positioned at rank 1052 and the Athlon II X3 415e is on rank 798, so the Athlon II X3 415e offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 987
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X3 415e
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium 987 | Athlon II X3 415e |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium 987 | Athlon II X3 415e |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+33%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
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 987 and Athlon II X3 415e
Pentium 987
The Pentium 987 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 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: 1,487 points. Launch price was $134.
Athlon II X3 415e
The Athlon II X3 415e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,481 points. Launch price was $75.
Processing Power
The Pentium 987 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Athlon II X3 415e offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Athlon II X3 415e has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 1.5 GHz on the Pentium 987 versus 2.5 GHz on the Athlon II X3 415e — a 50% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 415e (base: 1.5 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Pentium 987 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II X3 415e uses Rana (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 987 scores 1,487 against the Athlon II X3 415e's 1,481 — a 0.4% lead for the Pentium 987. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 987 vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 415e.
| Feature | Pentium 987 | Athlon II X3 415e |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 1.5 GHz | 2.5 GHz+67% |
| Base Clock | 1.5 GHz | 2.5 GHz+67% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Rana (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,487 | 1,481 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium 987 uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X3 415e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium 987 | Athlon II X3 415e |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1023 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Value Analysis
The Pentium 987 launched at $134 MSRP, while the Athlon II X3 415e debuted at $75. At current prices ($20 vs $15), the Athlon II X3 415e is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 987 delivers 74.3 pts/$ vs 98.7 pts/$ for the Athlon II X3 415e — making the Athlon II X3 415e the 28.2% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium 987 | Athlon II X3 415e |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $134 | $75-44% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $20 | $15-25% |
| Performance per Dollar | 74.3 | 98.7+33% |
| Release Date | 2013 | 2010 |
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