Pentium 997 vs Phenom X3 8450

Pentium 997

2 Cores2 Thrd17 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2012

Phenom X3 8450

3 Cores3 Thrd95 WWMax: 2.1 GHz2008

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Pentium 997

2 / 2

1,215

0.0%

1,221

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

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.

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 997 is positioned at rank 1104 and the Phenom X3 8450 is on rank 1023, so the Phenom X3 8450 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium 997

#1092

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3235%

#1093

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3187%

#1094

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2926%

#1095

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2913%

#1096

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2886%

#1098

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2787%

#1099

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2673%

#1100

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2668%

#1101

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2596%

#1104

Pentium 997

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

100%

#1105

Pentium A1018

MSRP: $132|Avg: $15

99%

#1106

Core i5-2430M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

99%

#1108

Pentium Dual Core T4500

MSRP: $150|Avg: $30

98%

#1109

Celeron B820

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

98%

#1110

Pentium B980

MSRP: $125|Avg: $35

97%

#1111

Celeron 867

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

97%

#1112

Pentium B970

MSRP: $125|Avg: $39

96%

#1113

Core i5-2410M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

96%

#1114

Pentium T2370

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

95%

#1115

Pentium N3710

MSRP: $161|Avg: $50

95%

#1116

Core m3-7Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1117

Pentium 977

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

94%

#1118

Core i7-2715QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $50

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Phenom X3 8450

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

37021%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

34981%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

25399%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

7652%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

6061%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

5302%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

3037%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

2997%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

2729%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

2729%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

2698%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

2625%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

2589%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

2578%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

2555%

#396

Ryzen Embedded R2314

MSRP: $300|Avg: $762

91%

#1023

Phenom X3 8450

MSRP: $145|Avg: $147

100%

#1024

Core i7-3960X

MSRP: $999|Avg: $60

100%

#1025

Celeron 2.70

MSRP: $49|Avg: $49

99%

#1027

A10 PRO-7850B

MSRP: $426|Avg: $140

96%

#1028

Core 2 Quad Q8200

MSRP: $224|Avg: $36

96%

#1029

A12-9800E

MSRP: $426|Avg: $150

95%

#1030

Phenom II X6 1065T

MSRP: $426|Avg: $170

95%

#1031

Celeron 440

MSRP: $59|Avg: $10

95%

#1032

A8-3820

MSRP: $280|Avg: $200

92%

#1033

Core i7-860S

MSRP: $299|Avg: $96

92%

#1035

Core 2 Duo E4700

MSRP: $133|Avg: $10

90%

#1036

PRO A10-8770E

MSRP: $395|Avg: $210

90%

#1037

Athlon 64 X2 5800+

MSRP: $230|Avg: $20

90%

#1038

Phenom II X2 B53

MSRP: $150|Avg: $15

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Phenom X3 8450 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Pentium 997 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.5% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Pentium 997	Phenom X3 8450
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($10)	⚠️ Higher cost ($147)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Toliman (2008) / 65 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Value Proposition: While both processors are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Pentium 997 holds the technical lead in efficiency. Priced at $10 (vs $147), it costs 93% less. While offering basic entry-level performance, it results in a 1363% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Phenom X3 8450.

Insight	Pentium 997	Phenom X3 8450
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+1363%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($10)	⚠️ Higher cost ($147)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Pentium 997 Benchmark Check

Phenom X3 8450 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium 997 and Phenom X3 8450

Pentium 997

The Pentium 997 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 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: 1,215 points. Launch price was $134.

Phenom X3 8450

The Phenom X3 8450 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Toliman (2008) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,221 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium 997 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom X3 8450 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom X3 8450 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Pentium 997 versus 2.1 GHz on the Phenom X3 8450 — a 27% clock advantage for the Phenom X3 8450. The Pentium 997 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Phenom X3 8450 uses Toliman (2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 997 scores 1,215 against the Phenom X3 8450's 1,221 — a 0.5% lead for the Phenom X3 8450. Both processors carry 2 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Pentium 997	Phenom X3 8450
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	3 / 3+50%
Boost Clock	1.6 GHz	2.1 GHz+31%
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	—
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	32 nm-51%	65 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Toliman (2008)
PassMark	1,215	1,221

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium 997 uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom X3 8450 uses AM2+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium 997	Phenom X3 8450
Socket	BGA1023	AM2+
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0

💰

Value Analysis

The Pentium 997 launched at $134 MSRP, while the Phenom X3 8450 debuted at $145. At current prices ($10 vs $147), the Pentium 997 is $137 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium 997 delivers 121.5 pts/$ vs 8.3 pts/$ for the Phenom X3 8450 — making the Pentium 997 the 174.4% better value option.