
Pentium D 940 vs Pentium U5600

Pentium D 940

Pentium U5600
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 D 940 is positioned at rank 1055 and the Pentium U5600 is on rank 1122, so the Pentium D 940 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium D 940
Performance Per Dollar Pentium U5600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium D 940 | Pentium U5600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($15) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium D 940 | Pentium U5600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+249%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($15) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) |
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 D 940 and Pentium U5600

Pentium D 940
The Pentium D 940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 January 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 875 points. Launch price was $423.

Pentium U5600
The Pentium U5600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.33 GHz, with boost up to 1.33 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 835 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium D 940 and Pentium U5600 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Pentium D 940 versus 1.33 GHz on the Pentium U5600 — a 82.6% clock advantage for the Pentium D 940 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 1.33 GHz). The Pentium D 940 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium U5600 uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium D 940 scores 875 against the Pentium U5600's 835 — a 4.7% lead for the Pentium D 940. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Pentium D 940 vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium U5600.
| Feature | Pentium D 940 | Pentium U5600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz+141% | 1.33 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+141% | 1.33 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (total)+700% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 65 nm | 32 nm-51% |
| Architecture | NetBurst (2000−2006) | Arrandale (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 875+5% | 835 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium D 940 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium U5600 uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium D 940 | Pentium U5600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | BGA1288 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
Value Analysis
The Pentium D 940 launched at $132 MSRP, while the Pentium U5600 debuted at $100. At current prices ($15 vs $50), the Pentium D 940 is $35 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium D 940 delivers 58.3 pts/$ vs 16.7 pts/$ for the Pentium U5600 — making the Pentium D 940 the 111% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium D 940 | Pentium U5600 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $132 | $100-24% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15-70% | $50 |
| Performance per Dollar | 58.3+249% | 16.7 |
| Release Date | 2006 | 2011 |
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