Pentium B950 vs Pentium B960

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 B950 vs Pentium B960 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 B950 vs Pentium B960: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium B950

2011

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (671 vs 679).

Pentium B960

2011

Why buy it

✅+1.2% higher Geekbench multi-core.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium B950 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium B950 better than Pentium B960?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium B950 is ahead with a 3.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium B960 pulls ahead with 1.2% better Geekbench multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium B960 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.2% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium B950 is the better buy right now. Pentium B950 comes in in basically the same MSRP band at $134 MSRP versus $134 MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Pentium B960 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.2% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 0.3% better value on MSRP (7.6 vs 7.6 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium B960 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Pentium B950 vs Pentium B960 Technical Specifications

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

Pentium B950

The Pentium B950 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,022 points. Launch price was $134.

Pentium B960

The Pentium B960 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 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,019 points. Launch price was $134.

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Processing Power

Both the Pentium B950 and Pentium B960 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Pentium B950 versus 2.2 GHz on the Pentium B960 — a 4.7% clock advantage for the Pentium B960 (base: 2.1 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). Both are built on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture using a 32 nm process. In PassMark, the Pentium B950 scores 1,022 against the Pentium B960's 1,019 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium B950. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 379 vs 383, a 1% lead for the Pentium B960 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 671 vs 679 (1.2% advantage for the Pentium B960). Both processors carry 2 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Pentium B950	Pentium B960
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.1 GHz	2.2 GHz+5%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	2.2 GHz+5%
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,022	1,019
Geekbench 6 Single	379	383+1%
Geekbench 6 Multi	671	679+1%

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the PGA988 socket with PCIe 2.0. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: HM65,HM67 (Pentium B950) and HM76 (Pentium B960).

Feature	Pentium B950	Pentium B960
Socket	PGA988	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization: VT-x (Pentium B950) / not specified (Pentium B960). Both include integrated graphics — Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) (Pentium B950) and HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) (Pentium B960) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium B950 targets Budget, Pentium B960 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Pentium B960 rivals AMD A8-3500M.

Feature	Pentium B950	Pentium B960
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)	HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	VT-x	—
Target Use	Budget	Budget

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Pentium B950 was priced at $134, while the Pentium B960 came in at $134. On launch pricing ($134 vs $134), Pentium B960 was $0 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium B950 delivers 7.6 pts/$ vs 7.6 pts/$ for the Pentium B960 — making the Pentium B950 the 0.3% better value option.

Feature	Pentium B950	Pentium B960
MSRP	$134	$134
Performance per Dollar	7.6	7.6
Release Date	2011	2011

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