Pentium E6300 vs Pentium B950
Pentium E6300
Pentium B950
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 E6300 is positioned at rank 958 and the Pentium B950 is on rank 1142, so the Pentium E6300 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium E6300
Performance Per Dollar Pentium B950
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium E6300 | Pentium B950 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($15) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium E6300 | Pentium B950 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+136%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($15) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) |
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 E6300 and Pentium B950
Pentium E6300
The Pentium E6300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 May 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 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: 1,032 points. Launch price was $40.
Pentium B950
The Pentium B950 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 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 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: 1,022 points. Launch price was $134.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium E6300 and Pentium B950 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Pentium E6300 versus 2.1 GHz on the Pentium B950 — a 28.6% clock advantage for the Pentium E6300 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Pentium E6300 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium B950 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium E6300 scores 1,032 against the Pentium B950's 1,022 — a 1% lead for the Pentium E6300. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Pentium E6300 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B950.
| Feature | Pentium E6300 | Pentium B950 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz+33% | 2.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz+33% | 2.1 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 | 1,032 | 1,022 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 379 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 671 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium E6300 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium B950 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium E6300 | Pentium B950 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | PGA988 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium E6300) / VT-x (Pentium B950). The Pentium B950 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)), while the Pentium E6300 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium B950 targets Budget.
| Feature | Pentium E6300 | Pentium B950 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
Value Analysis
The Pentium E6300 launched at $84 MSRP, while the Pentium B950 debuted at $134. At current prices ($15 vs $35), the Pentium E6300 is $20 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium E6300 delivers 68.8 pts/$ vs 29.2 pts/$ for the Pentium B950 — making the Pentium E6300 the 80.8% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium E6300 | Pentium B950 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $84-37% | $134 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15-57% | $35 |
| Performance per Dollar | 68.8+136% | 29.2 |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2011 |
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