Pentium E5400
VS
Pentium 957

Pentium E5400 vs Pentium 957

Intel

Pentium E5400

2 Cores2 Thrd65 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2009
VS
Intel

Pentium 957

2 Cores2 Thrd17 WWMax: 1.2 GHz2011

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 E5400 is positioned at rank 830 and the Pentium 957 is on rank 1146, so the Pentium E5400 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium E5400

#1
Ryzen 9 7950X
MSRP: $194|Avg: $20
17024%
#2
Core i9-10900T
MSRP: $120|Avg: $5
16086%
#3
Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE
MSRP: $423|Avg: $5
11680%
#4
Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85
3519%
#5
Ryzen 9 9950X
MSRP: $649|Avg: $129
2787%
#6
Ryzen 5 8400F
MSRP: $303|Avg: $55
2438%
#7
Ryzen 7 PRO 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $60
1397%
#8
Ryzen 5 2600X
MSRP: $229|Avg: $55
1378%
#9
Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
MSRP: $150|Avg: $60
1255%
#10
Core Ultra 5 245KF
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
1255%
#11
Ryzen 5 5500
MSRP: $159|Avg: $85
1241%
#12
Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $80
1207%
#13
Core i3-9100E
MSRP: $202|Avg: $30
1190%
#14
Core Ultra 5 245K
MSRP: $319|Avg: $200
1186%
#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
1175%
#295
Core i9-7940X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $275
99%
#829
Core i5-4570R
MSRP: $250|Avg: $20
100%
#830
Pentium E5400
MSRP: $55|Avg: $49
100%
#831
A6-3650
MSRP: $115|Avg: $20
100%
#832
Core i7-4770R
MSRP: $360|Avg: $89
100%
#834
Core i7-2600
MSRP: $294|Avg: $50
99%
#835
Pentium G870
MSRP: $86|Avg: $15
99%
#836
Athlon II X2 210e
MSRP: $60|Avg: $28
99%
#837
Pentium G645
MSRP: $80|Avg: $15
99%
#839
Pentium G630
MSRP: $75|Avg: $46
99%
#840
Core i5-2550K
MSRP: $235|Avg: $46
98%
#841
Athlon II X4 600e
MSRP: $100|Avg: $20
98%
#842
Core i5-6442EQ
MSRP: $250|Avg: $250
98%
#843
Core i7-4785T
MSRP: $306|Avg: $32
98%
#844
Core i5-4690S
MSRP: $306|Avg: $189
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium 957

#1134
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
3876%
#1135
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
3819%
#1136
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
3506%
#1137
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
3490%
#1138
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
3458%
#1140
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
3339%
#1141
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
3202%
#1142
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
3197%
#1143
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
3111%
#1146
Pentium 957
MSRP: $134|Avg: $10
100%
#1147
Core 2 Duo SL9400
MSRP: $284|Avg: N/A
100%
#1149
Pentium N3540
MSRP: $161|Avg: $161
99%
#1150
Core i7-3555LE
MSRP: $300|Avg: $280
99%
#1151
Core i3-2377M
MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A
98%
#1152
Core 2 Duo E8435
MSRP: $150|Avg: $74
97%
#1153
Celeron M 723
MSRP: $161|Avg: $161
97%
#1154
Core i7-3517UE
MSRP: $330|Avg: $35
95%
#1155
Core M-5Y51
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
95%
#1156
Pentium N3530
MSRP: $161|Avg: $20
95%
#1157
Core i3-330E
MSRP: $177|Avg: $89
94%
#1159
Core i7-2640M
MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A
93%
#1160
Core M-5Y71
MSRP: $281|Avg: $281
93%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Pentium E5400 leads in gaming performance. However, the Pentium 957 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.8% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightPentium E5400Pentium 957
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($49)
More affordable ($10)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Pentium 957 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 80% cheaper ($10 vs $49) while identifying as the stronger performer.
InsightPentium E5400Pentium 957
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+394%)
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($49)
More affordable ($10)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 E5400 and Pentium 957

Intel

Pentium E5400

The Pentium E5400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 18 January 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) 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: 2 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,007 points. Launch price was $55.

Intel

Pentium 957

The Pentium 957 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.2 GHz, with boost up to 1.2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,015 points. Launch price was $134.

Processing Power

Both the Pentium E5400 and Pentium 957 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Pentium E5400 versus 1.2 GHz on the Pentium 957 — a 76.9% clock advantage for the Pentium E5400 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 1.2 GHz). The Pentium E5400 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium 957 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium E5400 scores 1,007 against the Pentium 957's 1,015 — a 0.8% lead for the Pentium 957. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Pentium E5400 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 957.

FeaturePentium E5400Pentium 957
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 2
Boost Clock
2.7 GHz+125%
1.2 GHz
Base Clock
2.7 GHz+125%
1.2 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
2 MB (total)
L2 Cache
2 MB (total)+700%
256K (per core)
Process
45 nm
32 nm-29%
Architecture
Wolfdale (2008−2010)
Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark
1,007
1,015
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium E5400 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium 957 uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeaturePentium E5400Pentium 957
Socket
LGA775
BGA1023
PCIe Generation
PCIe 1.1
PCIe 2.0+82%
💰

Value Analysis

The Pentium E5400 launched at $55 MSRP, while the Pentium 957 debuted at $134. At current prices ($49 vs $10), the Pentium 957 is $39 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium E5400 delivers 20.6 pts/$ vs 101.5 pts/$ for the Pentium 957 — making the Pentium 957 the 132.6% better value option.

FeaturePentium E5400Pentium 957
MSRP
$55-59%
$134
Avg Price (30d)
$49
$10-80%
Performance per Dollar
20.6
101.5+393%
Release Date
2009
2011