Pentium B980 vs Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Pentium B980
Popular choices:
Ryzen 7 7800X3D
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. The Pentium B980 is positioned at rank #1110 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium B980
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 7 7800X3D
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium B980 | Ryzen 7 7800X3D |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($35) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($384) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Raphael (Zen4) (2022−2023) / 5 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium B980 | Ryzen 7 7800X3D |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+184%) |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($35) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($384) |
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 Ryzen 7 7800X3D
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.
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 B980 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 2.4 GHz on the Pentium B980 versus 5 GHz on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — a 70.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D (base: 2.4 GHz vs 4.4 GHz). The Pentium B980 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 B980 scores 1,101 against the Ryzen 7 7800X3D's 34,293 — a 187.6% lead for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B980 vs 96 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 7800X3D.
| Feature | Pentium B980 | Ryzen 7 7800X3D |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 8 / 16+300% |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz | 5 GHz+108% |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz | 4.4 GHz+83% |
| 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 | 1,101 | 34,293+3015% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 18,500 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 2,700 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 15,000 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium B980 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D uses AM5 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium B980 | Ryzen 7 7800X3D |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | AM5 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 5.0+150% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR5-5200 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 128 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 28 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium B980) / AMD-V (Ryzen 7 7800X3D). The Ryzen 7 7800X3D includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core)), while the Pentium B980 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Ryzen 7 7800X3D targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Ryzen 7 7800X3D rivals Intel Core i7-14700K.
| Feature | Pentium B980 | Ryzen 7 7800X3D |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | AMD Radeon Graphics (2-core) |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | Yes |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Gaming |
Value Analysis
The Pentium B980 launched at $125 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 7800X3D debuted at $449. At current prices ($35 vs $384), the Pentium B980 is $349 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium B980 delivers 31.5 pts/$ vs 89.3 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 7800X3D — making the Ryzen 7 7800X3D the 95.8% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium B980 | Ryzen 7 7800X3D |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $125-72% | $449 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $35-91% | $384 |
| Performance per Dollar | 31.5 | 89.3+183% |
| Release Date | 2012 | 2023 |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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