Pentium Extreme Edition 965 vs Pentium E6500
Pentium Extreme Edition 965
Pentium E6500
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 Extreme Edition 965 is positioned at rank 1119 and the Pentium E6500 is on rank 921, so the Pentium E6500 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Extreme Edition 965
Performance Per Dollar Pentium E6500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium Extreme Edition 965 | Pentium E6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Presler (2005−2007) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium Extreme Edition 965 | Pentium E6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+909%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) | ✅ 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 Extreme Edition 965 and Pentium E6500
Pentium Extreme Edition 965
The Pentium Extreme Edition 965 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 26 March 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the Presler (2005−2007) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.733 GHz, with boost up to 0.73 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 1,165 points. Launch price was $999.
Pentium E6500
The Pentium E6500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 August 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.93 GHz, with boost up to 0.93 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: 1,175 points. Launch price was $50.
Processing Power
The Pentium Extreme Edition 965 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Pentium E6500's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.73 GHz on the Pentium Extreme Edition 965 versus 0.93 GHz on the Pentium E6500 — a 24.1% clock advantage for the Pentium E6500 (base: 3.733 GHz vs 2.93 GHz). The Pentium Extreme Edition 965 uses the Presler (2005−2007) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium E6500 uses Wolfdale (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Extreme Edition 965 scores 1,165 against the Pentium E6500's 1,175 — a 0.9% lead for the Pentium E6500.
| Feature | Pentium Extreme Edition 965 | Pentium E6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 0.73 GHz | 0.93 GHz+27% |
| Base Clock | 3.733 GHz+27% | 2.93 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core) | 2 MB (total) |
| Process | 65 nm | 45 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Presler (2005−2007) | Wolfdale (2008−2010) |
| PassMark | 1,165 | 1,175 |
Memory & Platform
Both processors use the LGA775 socket with PCIe 1.1.
| Feature | Pentium Extreme Edition 965 | Pentium E6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | LGA775 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 1.1 |
Value Analysis
The Pentium Extreme Edition 965 launched at $999 MSRP, while the Pentium E6500 debuted at $84. At current prices ($100 vs $10), the Pentium E6500 is $90 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium Extreme Edition 965 delivers 11.7 pts/$ vs 117.5 pts/$ for the Pentium E6500 — making the Pentium E6500 the 163.9% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium Extreme Edition 965 | Pentium E6500 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $999 | $84-92% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $100 | $10-90% |
| Performance per Dollar | 11.7 | 117.5+904% |
| Release Date | 2006 | 2009 |
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