Pentium B980 vs Core 2 Extreme X9000
Pentium B980
Core 2 Extreme X9000
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 B980 is positioned at rank 1110 and the Core 2 Extreme X9000 is on rank 915, so the Core 2 Extreme X9000 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium B980
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Extreme X9000
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium B980 | Core 2 Extreme X9000 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium B980 | Core 2 Extreme X9000 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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 B980 and Core 2 Extreme X9000
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.
Core 2 Extreme X9000
The Core 2 Extreme X9000 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 January 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 44 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,108 points. Launch price was $851.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium B980 and Core 2 Extreme X9000 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Pentium B980 versus 2.8 GHz on the Core 2 Extreme X9000 — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Core 2 Extreme X9000 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Pentium B980 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core 2 Extreme X9000 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium B980 scores 1,101 against the Core 2 Extreme X9000's 1,108 — a 0.6% lead for the Core 2 Extreme X9000. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B980 vs 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Extreme X9000.
| Feature | Pentium B980 | Core 2 Extreme X9000 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz | 2.8 GHz+17% |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz | 2.8 GHz+17% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 6 MB L2 Cache+200% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 6 MB+2300% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Penryn (2008−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,101 | 1,108 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium B980 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Extreme X9000 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium B980 | Core 2 Extreme X9000 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | PGA478 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
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