Pentium Extreme Edition 965 vs Sempron 3850

Pentium Extreme Edition 965 vs Sempron 3850 Performance Spectrum

Pentium Extreme Edition 965

2 / 4

1,165

0.0%

1,168

+0.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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.

Pentium Extreme Edition 965 vs Sempron 3850 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Pentium Extreme Edition 965 vs Sempron 3850: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Pentium Extreme Edition 965

2006

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,165 vs 1,168).
❌Launch MSRP is still $999 MSRP, while Sempron 3850 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌420% higher power demand at 130W vs 25W.

Sempron 3850

2014

Why buy it

✅Draws 25W instead of 130W, a 105W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Sempron 3850 better than Pentium Extreme Edition 965?

Yes. Sempron 3850 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.3% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Sempron 3850 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.2% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Sempron 3850 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Sempron 3850 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Sempron 3850 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $999 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium Extreme Edition 965 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2006 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (1.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA775.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Sempron 3850 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2006) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Pentium Extreme Edition 965 vs Sempron 3850 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

Sempron 3850

The Sempron 3850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Kabini (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 1.3 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,168 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Pentium Extreme Edition 965 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Sempron 3850 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Sempron 3850 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 0.73 GHz on the Pentium Extreme Edition 965 versus 1.3 GHz on the Sempron 3850 — a 56.2% clock advantage for the Sempron 3850. The Pentium Extreme Edition 965 uses the Presler (2005−2007) architecture (65 nm), while the Sempron 3850 uses Kabini (2013−2014) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Extreme Edition 965 scores 1,165 against the Sempron 3850's 1,168 — a 0.3% lead for the Sempron 3850.

Feature	Pentium Extreme Edition 965	Sempron 3850
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	0.73 GHz	1.3 GHz+78%
Base Clock	3.733 GHz	—
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)	2048 kB
Process	65 nm	28 nm-57%
Architecture	Presler (2005−2007)	Kabini (2013−2014)
PassMark	1,165	1,168

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium Extreme Edition 965 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Sempron 3850 uses AM1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.