Pentium Extreme Edition 965 vs Phenom X3 8400
Pentium Extreme Edition 965
Phenom X3 8400
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 Phenom X3 8400 is on rank 509, so the Phenom X3 8400 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 Phenom X3 8400
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium Extreme Edition 965 | Phenom X3 8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Presler (2005−2007) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Toliman (2008) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium Extreme Edition 965 | Phenom X3 8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 Phenom X3 8400
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.
Phenom X3 8400
The Phenom X3 8400 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Toliman (2008) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,164 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Pentium Extreme Edition 965 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom X3 8400 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom X3 8400 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 0.73 GHz on the Pentium Extreme Edition 965 versus 2.1 GHz on the Phenom X3 8400 — a 96.8% clock advantage for the Phenom X3 8400. The Pentium Extreme Edition 965 uses the Presler (2005−2007) architecture (65 nm), while the Phenom X3 8400 uses Toliman (2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Extreme Edition 965 scores 1,165 against the Phenom X3 8400's 1,164 — a 0.1% lead for the Pentium Extreme Edition 965.
| Feature | Pentium Extreme Edition 965 | Phenom X3 8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 0.73 GHz | 2.1 GHz+188% |
| Base Clock | 3.733 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | — | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core)+300% | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 65 nm | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Presler (2005−2007) | Toliman (2008) |
| PassMark | 1,165 | 1,164 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium Extreme Edition 965 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Phenom X3 8400 uses AM2+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium Extreme Edition 965 | Phenom X3 8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | AM2+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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