Pentium G6960 vs Turion II Neo K685

Intel

Pentium G6960

2 Cores2 Thrd73 WWMax: 0.93 GHz2011
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Turion II Neo K685

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 1.8 GHz2010
Similar parts
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Pentium G6960 vs Turion II Neo K685 Performance Spectrum

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 G6960 vs Turion II Neo K685 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 G6960 vs Turion II Neo K685: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium G6960

2011

Why buy it

  • +0.6% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $89 MSRP, while Turion II Neo K685 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 7200% higher power demand at 73W vs 1W.

Turion II Neo K685

2010

Why buy it

  • Draws 1W instead of 73W, a 72W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (1,424 vs 1,433).

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium G6960 better than Turion II Neo K685?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Turion II Neo K685 is ahead with a 1.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium G6960 pulls ahead with 0.6% better PassMark.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium G6960 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 G6960 is the better buy right now. Pentium G6960 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $89 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.6% better PassMark. The compromise is that Turion II Neo K685 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (16.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 G6960 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2011 vs 2010) 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 G6960 vs Turion II Neo K685 Technical Specifications

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

Intel

Pentium G6960

The Pentium G6960 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.93 GHz, with boost up to 0.93 GHz. L3 cache: 3072 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 73 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,433 points. Launch price was $69.

AMD

Turion II Neo K685

The Turion II Neo K685 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Geneva (2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.8 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,424 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

Both the Pentium G6960 and Turion II Neo K685 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.93 GHz on the Pentium G6960 versus 1.8 GHz on the Turion II Neo K685 — a 63.7% clock advantage for the Turion II Neo K685. The Pentium G6960 uses the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Turion II Neo K685 uses Geneva (2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium G6960 scores 1,433 against the Turion II Neo K685's 1,424 — a 0.6% lead for the Pentium G6960.

FeaturePentium G6960Turion II Neo K685
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 2
Boost Clock
0.93 GHz
1.8 GHz+94%
Base Clock
2.93 GHz
L3 Cache
3072 kB (total)
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
1 MB+300%
Process
32 nm-29%
45 nm
Architecture
Clarkdale (2010−2011)
Geneva (2010)
PassMark
1,433
1,424
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Memory & Platform

The Pentium G6960 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Turion II Neo K685 uses S1g4 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeaturePentium G6960Turion II Neo K685
Socket
LGA1156
S1g4
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0