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

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

AMD

Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

4 Cores4 Thrd125 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2009
VS
Intel

Pentium Silver N5030

4 Cores4 Thrd4 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2019

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 Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) is positioned at rank 240 and the Pentium Silver N5030 is on rank 671, so the Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)

#1
Ryzen 9 7950X
MSRP: $194|Avg: $20
3676%
#2
Core i9-10900T
MSRP: $120|Avg: $5
3473%
#3
Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE
MSRP: $423|Avg: $5
2522%
#4
Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85
760%
#5
Ryzen 9 9950X
MSRP: $649|Avg: $129
602%
#6
Ryzen 5 8400F
MSRP: $303|Avg: $55
526%
#7
Ryzen 7 PRO 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $60
302%
#8
Ryzen 5 2600X
MSRP: $229|Avg: $55
298%
#9
Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
MSRP: $150|Avg: $60
271%
#10
Core Ultra 5 245KF
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
271%
#11
Ryzen 5 5500
MSRP: $159|Avg: $85
268%
#12
Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $80
261%
#13
Core i3-9100E
MSRP: $202|Avg: $30
257%
#14
Core Ultra 5 245K
MSRP: $319|Avg: $200
256%
#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
254%
#232
Ryzen 3 2200G
MSRP: $99|Avg: $80
99%
#233
Core i3-9100F
MSRP: $97|Avg: $80
99%
#234
Ryzen 7 9800X3D
MSRP: $479|Avg: $479
98%
#235
Ryzen 9 3900XT
MSRP: $499|Avg: $390
98%
#236
Ryzen 3 PRO 8300G
MSRP: $176|Avg: $176
97%
#237
Core i7-14700T
MSRP: $384|Avg: $384
97%
#238
Core i3-13100TE
MSRP: $137|Avg: $137
97%
#239
Core i5-9600T
MSRP: $213|Avg: $118
96%
#240
Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W)
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#240
Core i5-12400T
MSRP: $192|Avg: $192
95%
#241
Phenom II X4 B97
MSRP: $100|Avg: $11
100%
#241
Core i9-14900F
MSRP: $524|Avg: $579
95%
#251
Phenom II X4 850
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $28
96%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium Silver N5030

#659
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
923%
#660
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
909%
#661
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
835%
#662
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
831%
#663
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
823%
#665
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
795%
#666
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
763%
#667
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
761%
#668
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
741%
#671
Pentium Silver N5030
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#681
Core i3-N305
MSRP: $309|Avg: $309
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Pentium Silver N5030 (2019) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightPhenom II X4 965 BE (125W)Pentium Silver N5030
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Deneb (2009−2011) / 45 nm)
✨ Modern (Gemini Lake Refresh (2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Phenom II X4 965 BE (125W) (2009) relies on 45 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightPhenom II X4 965 BE (125W)Pentium Silver N5030
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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

AMD

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.

Intel

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.

Processing Power

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

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

Memory & Platform

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

FeaturePhenom II X4 965 BE (125W)Pentium Silver N5030
Socket
AM3
FCBGA1090
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%