Pentium 987 vs Ryzen 9 5900X

CPU

GPU

Pentium 987

2 Cores2 Thrd17 WWMax: 1.5 GHz2013

Similar parts

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Ryzen 9 5900X

12 Cores24 Thrd105 WWMax: 4.8 GHz2020

Ryzen family

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Pentium 987 vs Ryzen 9 5900X Performance Spectrum

Pentium 987

2 / 2

1,487

0.0%

Celeron J1800

Pentium Dual-Core E2200

38,955

+2519.7%

Ryzen Threadripper 9960X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9975WX

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 987 vs Ryzen 9 5900X 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 987 vs Ryzen 9 5900X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium 987

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $415 less on MSRP ($134 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).
✅Draws 17W instead of 105W, a 88W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 9 5900X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,487 vs 38,955).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 64 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.1 vs 71.0 PassMark/$ ($134 MSRP vs $549 MSRP).

Ryzen 9 5900X

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +677.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+3100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 2 MB).
✅Delivers 539.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 71.0 vs 11.1 PassMark/$ ($549 MSRP vs $134 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
309.7% HIGHER MSRP
$549 MSRPvs$134 MSRP
❌517.6% higher power demand at 105W vs 17W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 9 5900X better than Pentium 987?

Yes. Ryzen 9 5900X is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 677.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 2519.7% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 9 5900X is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 677.7% 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, Ryzen 9 5900X is the stronger fit. You are getting 2519.7% better PassMark, backed by 12 cores and 24 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 3100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 2 MB).

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

Ryzen 9 5900X is the better buy right now. Ryzen 9 5900X comes in 309.7% more expensive on MSRP at $549 MSRP versus $134 MSRP, and it still gives you a 677.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 539.4% better value on MSRP (71.0 vs 11.1 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 9 5900X makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2013), 3100% larger total L3 cache (64 MB vs 2 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 12 cores / 24 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Pentium 987 vs Ryzen 9 5900X Technical Specifications

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

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.

Ryzen 9 5900X

The Ryzen 9 5900X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 5 November 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 12 cores and 24 threads. Base frequency is 3.7 GHz, with boost up to 4.8 GHz. L3 cache: 64 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 105 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 38,955 points. Launch price was $549.

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Processing Power

The Pentium 987 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Ryzen 9 5900X offers 12 cores / 24 threads — the Ryzen 9 5900X has 10 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.5 GHz on the Pentium 987 versus 4.8 GHz on the Ryzen 9 5900X — a 104.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 9 5900X (base: 1.5 GHz vs 3.7 GHz). The Pentium 987 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Ryzen 9 5900X uses Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 987 scores 1,487 against the Ryzen 9 5900X's 38,955 — a 185.3% lead for the Ryzen 9 5900X. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 987 vs 64 MB on the Ryzen 9 5900X.

Feature	Pentium 987	Ryzen 9 5900X
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	12 / 24+500%
Boost Clock	1.5 GHz	4.8 GHz+220%
Base Clock	1.5 GHz	3.7 GHz+147%
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	64 MB+3100%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512K (per core)+100%
Process	32 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-78%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Vermeer (Zen3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	1,487	38,955+2520%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	21,000
Geekbench 6 Single	—	2,174
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	11,888

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium 987 uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Ryzen 9 5900X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium 987	Ryzen 9 5900X
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	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	24

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium 987) / AMD-V (Ryzen 9 5900X). Primary use case: Ryzen 9 5900X targets Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 9 5900X rivals Core i9-12900K.

Feature	Pentium 987	Ryzen 9 5900X
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Workstation

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Pentium 987 was priced at $134, while the Ryzen 9 5900X came in at $549. On launch pricing ($134 vs $549), Pentium 987 was $415 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 987 delivers 11.1 pts/$ vs 71.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 9 5900X — making the Ryzen 9 5900X the 145.9% better value option.

Feature	Pentium 987	Ryzen 9 5900X
MSRP	$134-76%	$549
Performance per Dollar	11.1	71.0+540%
Release Date	2013	2020

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