Pentium D 940 vs Pentium U5600

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 D 940 vs Pentium U5600 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 D 940 vs Pentium U5600: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium D 940

2006

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.6 vs 8.3 PassMark/$ ($132 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
❌622.2% higher power demand at 130W vs 18W.

Pentium U5600

2011

Why buy it

✅Costs $32 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $132 MSRP).
✅Delivers 26.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 8.3 vs 6.6 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $132 MSRP).
✅Draws 18W instead of 130W, a 112W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium D 940 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (835 vs 875).

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium D 940 better than Pentium U5600?

Yes. Pentium D 940 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 6.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 4.8% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium D 940 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 6.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium D 940 is the stronger fit. You are getting 4.8% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium D 940 is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Pentium D 940 comes in 32.0% more expensive on MSRP at $132 MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you a 6.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium U5600 only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 6.3% in the shared gaming data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Pentium U5600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2011 vs 2006). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Pentium D 940 vs Pentium U5600 Technical Specifications

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

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.

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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)	256K (per core)+12700%
Process	65 nm	32 nm-51%
Architecture	NetBurst (2000−2006)	Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark	875+5%	835

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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%

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Pentium D 940 was priced at $132, while the Pentium U5600 came in at $100. On launch pricing ($132 vs $100), Pentium U5600 was $32 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium D 940 delivers 6.6 pts/$ vs 8.3 pts/$ for the Pentium U5600 — making the Pentium U5600 the 23% better value option.

Feature	Pentium D 940	Pentium U5600
MSRP	$132	$100-24%
Performance per Dollar	6.6	8.3+26%
Release Date	2006	2011

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