Pentium B960 vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D

Pentium B960

2 Cores2 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2011

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

8 Cores16 Thrd120 WWMax: 5 GHz2023

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Pentium B960

2 / 2

1,019

0.0%

34,293

+3265.4%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Ryzen Threadripper 7970X

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 B960 is positioned at rank #1144 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

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 B960

#1132

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3861%

#1133

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3804%

#1134

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3492%

#1135

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3476%

#1136

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3444%

#1138

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3326%

#1139

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

3189%

#1140

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

3184%

#1141

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

3099%

#1144

Pentium B960

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

100%

#1146

Pentium 957

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

100%

#1147

Core 2 Duo SL9400

MSRP: $284|Avg: N/A

99%

#1149

Pentium N3540

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

99%

#1150

Core i7-3555LE

MSRP: $300|Avg: $280

98%

#1151

Core i3-2377M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

97%

#1152

Core 2 Duo E8435

MSRP: $150|Avg: $74

97%

#1153

Celeron M 723

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

96%

#1154

Core M-5Y51

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1155

Core i7-3517UE

MSRP: $330|Avg: $35

95%

#1156

Pentium N3530

MSRP: $161|Avg: $20

95%

#1157

Core i3-330E

MSRP: $177|Avg: $89

94%

#1159

Core i7-2640M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 7 7800X3D

#197

Ryzen 5 5600X3D

MSRP: $229|Avg: $229

107%

#198

Core i3-9350KF

MSRP: $173|Avg: $80

106%

#199

Ryzen 7 PRO 5755GE

MSRP: $220|Avg: $220

106%

#200

Core i3-9300

MSRP: $143|Avg: $75

106%

#201

Ryzen 7 3800XT

MSRP: $399|Avg: $249

105%

#202

Core i5-11400T

MSRP: $182|Avg: $140

104%

#203

Core i3-10305

MSRP: $149|Avg: $100

103%

#204

Core i3-9320

MSRP: $154|Avg: $80

103%

#205

Core i3-10105

MSRP: $122|Avg: $90

103%

#206

Core i3-13100E

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

102%

#207

Core i9-13900F

MSRP: $524|Avg: $536

102%

#208

Processor 300

MSRP: $82|Avg: $80

102%

#209

Ryzen 5 2600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $145

102%

#210

Ryzen 5 2400GE

MSRP: $169|Avg: $80

101%

#211

Core i9-14900KS

MSRP: $749|Avg: $670

101%

#212

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

MSRP: $449|Avg: $384

100%

#213

Core i3-8100T

MSRP: $117|Avg: $59

100%

#214

Core i7-13700E

MSRP: $390|Avg: $380

100%

#215

Ryzen 7 PRO 5750G

MSRP: $430|Avg: $270

99%

#216

Core i7-9700

MSRP: $333|Avg: $150

99%

#217

Core i5-13500TE

MSRP: $235|Avg: $250

98%

#218

Ryzen 3 PRO 2200G

MSRP: $294|Avg: $76

98%

#219

Ryzen 7 PRO 5845

MSRP: $300|Avg: $300

97%

#220

Athlon PRO 300GE

MSRP: $50|Avg: $50

97%

#221

Athlon Gold 3150G

MSRP: $100|Avg: $80

97%

#222

Core i7-9800X

MSRP: $589|Avg: $210

97%

#223

Ryzen 7 4700G

MSRP: $299|Avg: $235

96%

#224

Ryzen 9 5900

MSRP: $549|Avg: $395

96%

#225

Ryzen 5 7600X3D

MSRP: $299|Avg: $300

96%

#226

Ryzen 5 1600X

MSRP: $249|Avg: $144

59%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D (2023) utilizes 5 nm technology and DDR5-5200, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Pentium B960	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($15)	⚠️ Higher cost ($384)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	✨ Modern (Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) / 5 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Pentium B960 (2011) relies on 32 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Pentium B960	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+31%)
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($15)	⚠️ Higher cost ($384)

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 B960 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 7800X3D Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium B960 and Ryzen 7 7800X3D

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.

Ryzen 7 7800X3D

The Ryzen 7 7800X3D is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 4.4 GHz, with boost up to 5 GHz. L3 cache: 96 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: AM5. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR5-5200. Passmark benchmark score: 34,293 points. Launch price was $449.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium B960 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 7800X3D has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Pentium B960 versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — a 77.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D (base: 2.2 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The Pentium B960 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D uses Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) (5 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium B960 scores 1,019 against the Ryzen 7 7800X3D's 34,293 — a 188.5% lead for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 383 vs 2,700, a 150.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 679 vs 15,000 (182.7% advantage for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D). L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B960 vs 96 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D.

Feature	Pentium B960	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	8 / 16+300%
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz	5 GHz+127%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	4.4 GHz+100%
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	96 MB (total)+4700%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB (per core)+300%
Process	32 nm	5 nm-84%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023)
PassMark	1,019	34,293+3265%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	18,500
Geekbench 6 Single	383	2,700+605%
Geekbench 6 Multi	679	15,000+2109%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium B960 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Pentium B960 versus DDR5-5200 on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — the Ryzen 7 7800X3D supports 50% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 7800X3D supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Pentium B960) vs 28 (Ryzen 7 7800X3D) — the Ryzen 7 7800X3D offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM76 (Pentium B960) and X670E,X670,B650E,B650,A620 (Ryzen 7 7800X3D).

Feature	Pentium B960	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Socket	PGA988	AM5
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 5.0+150%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR5-5200+67%
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	128 GB+700%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	✅
PCIe Lanes	16	28+75%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 7 7800X3D has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Only the Ryzen 7 7800X3D supports AVX-512 instructions — important for machine learning and scientific applications. Virtualization: not specified (Pentium B960) / AMD-V (Ryzen 7 7800X3D). Both include integrated graphics — HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) (Pentium B960) and AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core) (Ryzen 7 7800X3D) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium B960 targets Budget, Ryzen 7 7800X3D targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Pentium B960 rivals AMD A8-3500M; Ryzen 7 7800X3D rivals Intel Core i7-14700K.

Feature	Pentium B960	Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)	AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)
Unlocked	No	Yes
AVX-512	No	Yes
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	Budget	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Pentium B960 launched at $134 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D debuted at $449. At current prices ($15 vs $384), the Pentium B960 is $369 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium B960 delivers 67.9 pts/$ vs 89.3 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — making the Ryzen 7 7800X3D the 27.2% better value option.