Pentium G4400 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

Pentium G4400 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) Performance Spectrum

Pentium G4400

2 / 2

2,562

+0.7%

Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

4 / 4

2,544

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 G4400 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) 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 G4400 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W): Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium G4400

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 54W instead of 125W, a 71W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 6 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $64 MSRP, while Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

2009

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 3 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium G4400 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,544 vs 2,562).
❌131.5% higher power demand at 125W vs 54W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium G4400 better than Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)?

Yes. Pentium G4400 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.7% 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 G4400 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.5% 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 G4400 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium G4400 is the better buy right now. Pentium G4400 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $64 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (40.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 G4400 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Pentium G4400 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) Technical Specifications

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

Pentium G4400

The Pentium G4400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 54 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,562 points. Launch price was $64.

Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

The Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,544 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Pentium G4400 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Pentium G4400 versus 3.4 GHz on the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) — a 3% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Pentium G4400 uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium G4400 scores 2,562 against the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)'s 2,544 — a 0.7% lead for the Pentium G4400. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Pentium G4400 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W).

Feature	Pentium G4400	Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	3.3 GHz	3.4 GHz+3%
Base Clock	3.3 GHz	3.4 GHz+3%
L3 Cache	3 MB	6 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Skylake (2015−2016)	Deneb (2009−2011)
PassMark	2,562	2,544

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium G4400 uses the LGA1151 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.