CPU
GPU
Pentium D 960
Athlon II X2 215
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 960 is positioned at rank 1104 and the Athlon II X2 215 is on rank 739, so the Athlon II X2 215 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 960
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 215
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium D 960 | Athlon II X2 215 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium D 960 | Athlon II X2 215 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+51%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
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 960 and Athlon II X2 215
Pentium D 960
The Pentium D 960 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 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: 1,005 points. Launch price was $523.
Athlon II X2 215
The Athlon II X2 215 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,011 points. Launch price was $45.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium D 960 and Athlon II X2 215 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Pentium D 960 versus 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X2 215 — a 28.6% clock advantage for the Pentium D 960 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Pentium D 960 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (65 nm), while the Athlon II X2 215 uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium D 960 scores 1,005 against the Athlon II X2 215's 1,011 — a 0.6% lead for the Athlon II X2 215. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Pentium D 960 | Athlon II X2 215 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz+33% | 2.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.6 GHz+33% | 2.7 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (total)+300% | 512 kB |
| Process | 65 nm | 45 nm-31% |
| Architecture | NetBurst (2000−2006) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,005 | 1,011 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 274 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 674 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium D 960 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon II X2 215 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium D 960 | Athlon II X2 215 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | 1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium D 960) / true (Athlon II X2 215). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 215 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 215 rivals Pentium E5400.
| Feature | Pentium D 960 | Athlon II X2 215 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | true |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
Value Analysis
The Pentium D 960 launched at $523 MSRP, while the Athlon II X2 215 debuted at $45. At current prices ($15 vs $10), the Athlon II X2 215 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium D 960 delivers 67.0 pts/$ vs 101.1 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 215 — making the Athlon II X2 215 the 40.6% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium D 960 | Athlon II X2 215 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $523 | $45-91% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $10-33% |
| Performance per Dollar | 67.0 | 101.1+51% |
| Release Date | 2006 | 2009 |
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