Pentium E6700 vs Pentium 997
Pentium E6700
Pentium 997
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 E6700 is positioned at rank 915 and the Pentium 997 is on rank 1104, so the Pentium E6700 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium E6700
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 997
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium E6700 | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($5) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium E6700 | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+101%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($5) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($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 E6700 and Pentium 997
Pentium E6700
The Pentium E6700 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) 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 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,219 points. Launch price was $80.
Pentium 997
The Pentium 997 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 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: 1,215 points. Launch price was $134.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium E6700 and Pentium 997 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Pentium E6700 versus 1.6 GHz on the Pentium 997 — a 66.7% clock advantage for the Pentium E6700 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Pentium E6700 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium 997 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium E6700 scores 1,219 against the Pentium 997's 1,215 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium E6700. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Pentium E6700 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 997.
| Feature | Pentium E6700 | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz+100% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+100% | 1.6 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 | 1,219 | 1,215 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium E6700 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium 997 uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium E6700 | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | BGA1023 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1066 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Pentium E6700) / not specified (Pentium 997). Primary use case: Pentium E6700 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Pentium E6700 | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
Value Analysis
The Pentium E6700 launched at $86 MSRP, while the Pentium 997 debuted at $134. At current prices ($5 vs $10), the Pentium E6700 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium E6700 delivers 243.8 pts/$ vs 121.5 pts/$ for the Pentium 997 — making the Pentium E6700 the 67% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium E6700 | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $86-36% | $134 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $5-50% | $10 |
| Performance per Dollar | 243.8+101% | 121.5 |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2012 |
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