Pentium Gold 4417U vs Core i7-950
Pentium Gold 4417U
Core i7-950
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 Gold 4417U is positioned at rank 193 and the Core i7-950 is on rank 1067, so the Pentium Gold 4417U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 4417U
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-950
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium Gold 4417U | Core i7-950 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($161) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Bloomfield (2008−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium Gold 4417U | Core i7-950 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+977%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($161) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
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 Gold 4417U and Core i7-950
Pentium Gold 4417U
The Pentium Gold 4417U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 February 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,240 points. Launch price was $161.
Core i7-950
The Core i7-950 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 June 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Bloomfield (2008−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.06 GHz, with boost up to 3.33 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,250 points. Launch price was $290.
Processing Power
The Pentium Gold 4417U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-950 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-950 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Pentium Gold 4417U versus 3.33 GHz on the Core i7-950 — a 36.6% clock advantage for the Core i7-950 (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.06 GHz). The Pentium Gold 4417U uses the Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-950 uses Bloomfield (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Gold 4417U scores 3,240 against the Core i7-950's 3,250 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i7-950. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Pentium Gold 4417U vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-950.
| Feature | Pentium Gold 4417U | Core i7-950 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 8+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2.3 GHz | 3.33 GHz+45% |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz | 3.06 GHz+33% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB | 8 MB (total)+300% |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Kaby Lake Refresh (2017−2019) | Bloomfield (2008−2010) |
| PassMark | 3,240 | 3,250 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium Gold 4417U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-950 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium Gold 4417U | Core i7-950 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1356 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
Value Analysis
The Pentium Gold 4417U launched at $161 MSRP, while the Core i7-950 debuted at $562.
| Feature | Pentium Gold 4417U | Core i7-950 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $161-71% | $562 |
| Avg Price (30d) | — | $15 |
| Release Date | 2019 | 2009 |
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