
Pentium J2850 vs Pentium B960

Pentium J2850

Pentium B960
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 J2850 is positioned at rank 1057 and the Pentium B960 is on rank 1144, so the Pentium J2850 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium J2850
Performance Per Dollar Pentium B960
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium J2850 | Pentium B960 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($94) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-D (2013) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium J2850 | Pentium B960 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+529%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($94) | ✅ 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 J2850 and Pentium B960

Pentium J2850
The Pentium J2850 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-D (2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.41 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,016 points. Launch price was $94.

Pentium B960
The Pentium B960 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 October 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,019 points. Launch price was $134.
Processing Power
The Pentium J2850 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium B960 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Pentium J2850 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Pentium J2850 versus 2.2 GHz on the Pentium B960 — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Pentium J2850 (base: 2.41 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Pentium J2850 uses the Bay Trail-D (2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Pentium B960 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium J2850 scores 1,016 against the Pentium B960's 1,019 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium B960. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium J2850 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B960.
| Feature | Pentium J2850 | Pentium B960 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz+9% | 2.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.41 GHz+10% | 2.2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB L2 Cache | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+700% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm-31% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Bay Trail-D (2013) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,016 | 1,019 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 383 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 679 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium J2850 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium B960 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium J2850 | Pentium B960 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1170 | PGA988 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
The Pentium B960 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge)), while the Pentium J2850 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium B960 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Pentium B960 rivals AMD A8-3500M.
| Feature | Pentium J2850 | Pentium B960 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
Value Analysis
The Pentium J2850 launched at $94 MSRP, while the Pentium B960 debuted at $134. At current prices ($94 vs $15), the Pentium B960 is $79 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium J2850 delivers 10.8 pts/$ vs 67.9 pts/$ for the Pentium B960 — making the Pentium B960 the 145.1% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium J2850 | Pentium B960 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $94-30% | $134 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $94 | $15-84% |
| Performance per Dollar | 10.8 | 67.9+529% |
| Release Date | 2013 | 2011 |
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