Pentium B980 vs Phenom II X3 N830

Pentium B980 vs Phenom II X3 N830 Performance Spectrum

Pentium B980

2 / 2

1,101

0.0%

1,107

+0.5%

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.

Pentium B980 vs Phenom II X3 N830 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 B980 vs Phenom II X3 N830: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium B980

2012

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,101 vs 1,107).
❌Launch MSRP is still $125 MSRP, while Phenom II X3 N830 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2233.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 1.5W.

Phenom II X3 N830

2010

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 2W instead of 35W, a 34W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium B980 better than Phenom II X3 N830?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium B980 is ahead with a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X3 N830 pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X3 N830 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 3 cores and 3 threads.

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

Pentium B980 is the better buy right now. Pentium B980 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $125 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Phenom II X3 N830 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.5% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (8.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 B980 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Pentium B980 vs Phenom II X3 N830 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Phenom II X3 N830

The Phenom II X3 N830 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,107 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Pentium B980 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X3 N830 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom II X3 N830 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Pentium B980 versus 2.1 GHz on the Phenom II X3 N830 — a 13.3% clock advantage for the Pentium B980. The Pentium B980 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Phenom II X3 N830 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium B980 scores 1,101 against the Phenom II X3 N830's 1,107 — a 0.5% lead for the Phenom II X3 N830.

Feature	Pentium B980	Phenom II X3 N830
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	3 / 3+50%
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz+14%	2.1 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	—
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)+16967%	1.5 MB
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,101	1,107

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium B980 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X3 N830 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.