Pentium G2120 vs Turion II M500

Pentium G2120 vs Turion II M500 Performance Spectrum

Pentium G2120

2 / 2

1,876

+0.6%

1,865

0.0%

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 G2120 vs Turion II M500 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 G2120 vs Turion II M500: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium G2120

2012

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), while Turion II M500 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $86 MSRP, while Turion II M500 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌5400% higher power demand at 55W vs 1W.

Turion II M500

2009

Why buy it

✅Draws 1W instead of 55W, a 54W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,865 vs 1,876).
❌No integrated graphics, while Pentium G2120 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium G2120 better than Turion II M500?

Yes. Pentium G2120 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.6% 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, Pentium G2120 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.9% 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, Pentium G2120 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium G2120 is the better buy right now. Pentium G2120 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $86 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (21.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium G2120 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Pentium G2120 vs Turion II M500 Technical Specifications

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

Pentium G2120

The Pentium G2120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,876 points. Launch price was $88.

Turion II M500

The Turion II M500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Caspian (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g3. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,865 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Pentium G2120 and Turion II M500 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Pentium G2120 versus 2.2 GHz on the Turion II M500 — a 34% clock advantage for the Pentium G2120. The Pentium G2120 uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Turion II M500 uses Caspian (2009) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium G2120 scores 1,876 against the Turion II M500's 1,865 — a 0.6% lead for the Pentium G2120.

Feature	Pentium G2120	Turion II M500
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz+41%	2.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.1 GHz	—
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	1 MB+300%
Process	22 nm-51%	45 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Caspian (2009)
PassMark	1,876	1,865

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium G2120 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Turion II M500 uses S1g3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium G2120	Turion II M500
Socket	LGA1155	S1g3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Pentium G2120) / not specified (Turion II M500). The Pentium G2120 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)), while the Turion II M500 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium G2120 targets Desktop.