Pentium B980 vs Athlon 64 X2 3800+

Pentium B980

2 Cores2 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.4 GHz2012

Athlon 64 X2 3800+

2 Cores2 Thrd89 WWMax: 2 GHz2005

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Pentium B980

2 / 2

1,101

+0.5%

1,095

0.0%

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 B980 is positioned at rank 1110 and the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ is on rank 1094, so the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ 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 B980

#1098

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3330%

#1099

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3281%

#1100

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3012%

#1101

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2999%

#1102

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2971%

#1104

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2869%

#1105

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2751%

#1106

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2747%

#1107

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2673%

#1110

Pentium B980

MSRP: $125|Avg: $35

100%

#1111

Celeron 867

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

100%

#1112

Pentium B970

MSRP: $125|Avg: $39

99%

#1113

Core i5-2410M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

99%

#1114

Pentium T2370

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

98%

#1115

Pentium N3710

MSRP: $161|Avg: $50

98%

#1116

Core m3-7Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

98%

#1117

Pentium 977

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

97%

#1118

Core i7-2715QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $50

97%

#1119

VIA Nano U2250

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

96%

#1121

Core i5-560M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

96%

#1122

Pentium U5600

MSRP: $100|Avg: $50

95%

#1124

Core m5-6Y57

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1125

Core i7-610E

MSRP: $250|Avg: $40

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 X2 3800+

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

100879%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

95320%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

69210%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

20850%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

16516%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

14448%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

8275%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

8167%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

7436%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

7436%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

7352%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

7154%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

7054%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

7026%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

6962%

#1094

Athlon 64 X2 3800+

MSRP: $354|Avg: $20

100%

#1095

Athlon 64 3000+

MSRP: $149|Avg: $10

98%

#1096

Athlon XP 3100+

MSRP: $150|Avg: $20

92%

#1097

Athlon 64 3300+

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

84%

#1098

Athlon 64 2800+

MSRP: $178|Avg: $15

76%

#1099

Athlon 64 3700+

MSRP: $272|Avg: $20

74%

#1100

Athlon 64 FX-72

MSRP: $799|Avg: $40

73%

#1101

Athlon 64 X2 4200+

MSRP: $581|Avg: $110

70%

#1102

Athlon 64 3500+

MSRP: $272|Avg: $10

68%

#1103

Pentium D 830

MSRP: $316|Avg: $20

63%

#1104

Pentium D 960

MSRP: $523|Avg: $15

62%

#1105

Athlon XP 2500+

MSRP: $172|Avg: $15

60%

#1106

Athlon 64 3800+

MSRP: $354|Avg: $10

59%

#1107

Pentium 4 2.53

MSRP: $193|Avg: $13

58%

#1108

Pentium 4 2.40

MSRP: $193|Avg: $193

54%

#1109

Athlon XP 2400+

MSRP: $193|Avg: $10

51%

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 Pentium B980 (2012) utilizes 32 nm technology and DDR3, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Pentium B980	Athlon 64 X2 3800+
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($35)	✅ More affordable ($20)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Manchester (2005−2006) / 90 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Athlon 64 X2 3800+ (2005) relies on 90 nm technology and older memory, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Pentium B980	Athlon 64 X2 3800+
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+74%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($35)	✅ More affordable ($20)

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 B980 Benchmark Check

Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium B980 and Athlon 64 X2 3800+

Pentium B980

The Pentium B980 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 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 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: 1,101 points. Launch price was $125.

Athlon 64 X2 3800+

The Athlon 64 X2 3800+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Manchester (2005−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,095 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Pentium B980 and Athlon 64 X2 3800+ share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Pentium B980 versus 2 GHz on the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Pentium B980. The Pentium B980 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ uses Manchester (2005−2006) (90 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium B980 scores 1,101 against the Athlon 64 X2 3800+'s 1,095 — a 0.5% lead for the Pentium B980. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B980 vs 0 kB on the Athlon 64 X2 3800+.

Feature	Pentium B980	Athlon 64 X2 3800+
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz+20%	2 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	—
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	0 kB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB+100%
Process	32 nm-64%	90 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Manchester (2005−2006)
PassMark	1,101	1,095

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium B980 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ uses 939 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium B980	Athlon 64 X2 3800+
Socket	PGA988	939
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR2-800
Max RAM Capacity	—	16 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	0

💰

Value Analysis

The Pentium B980 launched at $125 MSRP, while the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ debuted at $354. At current prices ($35 vs $20), the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ is $15 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium B980 delivers 31.5 pts/$ vs 54.8 pts/$ for the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ — making the Athlon 64 X2 3800+ the 54% better value option.