Pentium Silver J5040 vs Core i7-950
Pentium Silver J5040
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-950
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium Silver J5040 | Core i7-950 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ✨ Modern (Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Bloomfield (2008−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium Silver J5040 | Core i7-950 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Silver J5040 and Core i7-950
Pentium Silver J5040
The Pentium Silver J5040 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 November 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1090. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,252 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 Silver J5040 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core i7-950's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Pentium Silver J5040 versus 3.33 GHz on the Core i7-950 — a 4% clock advantage for the Core i7-950 (base: 2 GHz vs 3.06 GHz). The Pentium Silver J5040 uses the Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-950 uses Bloomfield (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Silver J5040 scores 3,252 against the Core i7-950's 3,250 — a 0.1% lead for the Pentium Silver J5040. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Pentium Silver J5040 vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-950.
| Feature | Pentium Silver J5040 | Core i7-950 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.33 GHz+4% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | 3.06 GHz+53% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB | 8 MB (total)+100% |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB (total)+1500% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) | Bloomfield (2008−2010) |
| PassMark | 3,252 | 3,250 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 1,640 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 435 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,180 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium Silver J5040 uses the FCBGA1090 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-950 uses LGA1366 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium Silver J5040 | Core i7-950 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1090 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2400 / LPDDR4-2400 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 6 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Pentium Silver J5040) / not specified (Core i7-950). The Pentium Silver J5040 includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 605), while the Core i7-950 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium Silver J5040 targets Mini-PC.
| Feature | Pentium Silver J5040 | Core i7-950 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel UHD Graphics 605 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x / VT-d / EPT | — |
| Target Use | Mini-PC | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Pentium Silver J5040 and Core i7-950
