Pentium Silver N5030 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

Pentium Silver N5030 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) Performance Spectrum

Pentium Silver N5030

4 / 4

2,543

0.0%

Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

4 / 4

2,544

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 Silver N5030 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) 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 Silver N5030 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W): Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium Silver N5030

2019

Why buy it

✅Draws 4W instead of 125W, a 121W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,543 vs 2,544).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 6 MB).

Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

2009

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌3025% higher power demand at 125W vs 4W.

Quick Answers

So, is Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) better than Pentium Silver N5030?

Yes. Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.8% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) is the stronger fit. You are getting 0% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) still makes the most sense overall. Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Pentium Silver N5030 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Pentium Silver N5030 vs Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) Technical Specifications

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

Pentium Silver N5030

The Pentium Silver N5030 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1090. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,543 points. Launch price was $69.

Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

The Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,544 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the Pentium Silver N5030 and Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Pentium Silver N5030 versus 3.4 GHz on the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) — a 9.2% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) (base: 1.1 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Pentium Silver N5030 uses the Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Silver N5030 scores 2,543 against the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)'s 2,544 — a 0% lead for the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W). L3 cache: 4 MB on the Pentium Silver N5030 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W).

Feature	Pentium Silver N5030	Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz	3.4 GHz+10%
Base Clock	1.1 GHz	3.4 GHz+209%
L3 Cache	4 MB	6 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	4 MB+700%	512 kB (per core)
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Gemini Lake Refresh (2019)	Deneb (2009−2011)
PassMark	2,543	2,544

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium Silver N5030 uses the FCBGA1090 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.