Pentium B970
VS
Core 2 Duo E8335

Pentium B970 vs Core 2 Duo E8335

Intel

Pentium B970

2 Cores2 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2012
VS
Intel

Core 2 Duo E8335

2 Cores2 Thrd44 WWMax: 0.93 GHz2009

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 B970 is positioned at rank 1112 and the Core 2 Duo E8335 is on rank 1196, so the Pentium B970 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 B970

#1100
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
3357%
#1101
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
3308%
#1102
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
3037%
#1103
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
3023%
#1104
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
2995%
#1106
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
2892%
#1107
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
2773%
#1108
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
2769%
#1109
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
2695%
#1112
Pentium B970
MSRP: $125|Avg: $39
100%
#1113
Core i5-2410M
MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A
99%
#1114
Pentium T2370
MSRP: $86|Avg: $10
99%
#1115
Pentium N3710
MSRP: $161|Avg: $50
99%
#1116
Core m3-7Y30
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
98%
#1117
Pentium 977
MSRP: $134|Avg: $10
98%
#1118
Core i7-2715QE
MSRP: $378|Avg: $50
97%
#1119
VIA Nano U2250
MSRP: $50|Avg: $10
97%
#1121
Core i5-560M
MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A
96%
#1122
Pentium U5600
MSRP: $100|Avg: $50
96%
#1123
Core m5-6Y57
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
95%
#1125
Core i7-610E
MSRP: $250|Avg: $40
95%
#1126
Core i5-5350U
MSRP: $315|Avg: N/A
94%
#1127
Core i3-4100E
MSRP: $225|Avg: $30
94%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo E8335

#1184
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
5364%
#1185
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
5285%
#1186
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
4852%
#1187
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
4830%
#1188
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
4786%
#1190
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
4622%
#1191
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
4431%
#1192
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
4424%
#1193
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
4305%
#1196
Core 2 Duo E8335
MSRP: $200|Avg: $50
100%
#1199
Celeron 560
MSRP: $89|Avg: $5
98%
#1200
Core i3-2312M
MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A
97%
#1201
Celeron 857
MSRP: $134|Avg: $10
96%
#1202
Celeron 925
MSRP: $100|Avg: $100
96%
#1203
Core 2 Duo E8135
MSRP: $200|Avg: $15
93%
#1204
Core 2 Duo U7700
MSRP: $262|Avg: $10
93%
#1205
Core Duo T2400
MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A
93%
#1206
Core 2 Duo U7600
MSRP: $250|Avg: $5
92%
#1207
Pentium M 735
MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A
91%
#1208
Core i7-620LM
MSRP: $300|Avg: N/A
89%
#1209
Core i7-740QM
MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A
89%
#1211
Core 2 Solo SU3300
MSRP: $262|Avg: $50
87%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Pentium B970 leads in gaming performance. However, the Core 2 Duo E8335 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.1% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightPentium B970Core 2 Duo E8335
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
More affordable ($39)
⚠️ Higher cost ($50)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Pentium B970 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 22% cheaper ($39 vs $50) while identifying as the stronger performer.
InsightPentium B970Core 2 Duo E8335
Cost Efficiency
Better overall value (+28%)
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($39)
⚠️ Higher cost ($50)

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium B970 and Core 2 Duo E8335

Intel

Pentium B970

The Pentium B970 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 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: 1,093 points. Launch price was $125.

Intel

Core 2 Duo E8335

The Core 2 Duo E8335 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.933 GHz, with boost up to 0.93 GHz. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: P. Thermal design power (TDP): 44 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,094 points. Launch price was $249.

Processing Power

Both the Pentium B970 and Core 2 Duo E8335 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Pentium B970 versus 0.93 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E8335 — a 84.8% clock advantage for the Pentium B970 (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.933 GHz). The Pentium B970 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core 2 Duo E8335 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium B970 scores 1,093 against the Core 2 Duo E8335's 1,094 — a 0.1% lead for the Core 2 Duo E8335.

FeaturePentium B970Core 2 Duo E8335
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 2
Boost Clock
2.3 GHz+147%
0.93 GHz
Base Clock
2.3 GHz
2.933 GHz+28%
L3 Cache
2 MB (total)
L2 Cache
256K (per core)
6 MB (total)+2300%
Process
32 nm-29%
45 nm
Architecture
Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark
1,093
1,094
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium B970 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo E8335 uses P (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeaturePentium B970Core 2 Duo E8335
Socket
PGA988
P
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0+82%
PCIe 1.1
💰

Value Analysis

The Pentium B970 launched at $125 MSRP, while the Core 2 Duo E8335 debuted at $200. At current prices ($39 vs $50), the Pentium B970 is $11 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium B970 delivers 28.0 pts/$ vs 21.9 pts/$ for the Core 2 Duo E8335 — making the Pentium B970 the 24.6% better value option.

FeaturePentium B970Core 2 Duo E8335
MSRP
$125-38%
$200
Avg Price (30d)
$39-22%
$50
Performance per Dollar
28.0+28%
21.9
Release Date
2012
2009