
Pentium M 740 vs Pentium G6960

Pentium M 740

Pentium G6960
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 M 740 is positioned at rank 719 and the Pentium G6960 is on rank 881, so the Pentium M 740 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium M 740
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G6960
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium M 740 | Pentium G6960 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Dothan (2004−2005) / 90 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Clarkdale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium M 740 | Pentium G6960 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($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 M 740 and Pentium G6960

Pentium M 740
The Pentium M 740 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Dothan (2004−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Base frequency is 1.73 GHz, with boost up to 1.73 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 27 Watt. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,435 points. Launch price was $69.

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.
Processing Power
The Pentium M 740 packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Pentium G6960 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Pentium G6960 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 1.73 GHz on the Pentium M 740 versus 0.93 GHz on the Pentium G6960 — a 60.2% clock advantage for the Pentium M 740 (base: 1.73 GHz vs 2.93 GHz). The Pentium M 740 uses the Dothan (2004−2005) architecture (90 nm), while the Pentium G6960 uses Clarkdale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium M 740 scores 1,435 against the Pentium G6960's 1,433 — a 0.1% lead for the Pentium M 740. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Pentium M 740 vs 3072 kB (total) on the Pentium G6960.
| Feature | Pentium M 740 | Pentium G6960 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 2 / 2+100% |
| Boost Clock | 1.73 GHz+86% | 0.93 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.73 GHz | 2.93 GHz+69% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 3072 kB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+700% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 90 nm | 32 nm-64% |
| Architecture | Dothan (2004−2005) | Clarkdale (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,435 | 1,433 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium M 740 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium G6960 uses LGA1156 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium M 740 | Pentium G6960 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | LGA1156 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
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