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Intel Pentium B960

Intel Pentium B960

Intel Pentium B960: An Outdated Warrior of the Budget Segment. Is it Worth Considering in 2025?

(Note: This article is relevant as of April 2025)

Introduction

The Intel Pentium B960 is a processor from the Sandy Bridge era (2011-2012) that can still be found in used and some new budget laptops. In 2025, it's available in devices priced between $200 and $300, but how relevant is it? Let’s explore who this chip is suitable for and whether it’s worth considering in an era of 5nm technologies and hybrid architectures.

Architecture and Process Technology: The Legacy of Sandy Bridge

Key Specifications:

- Cores and Threads: 2 cores, 2 threads (without Hyper-Threading).

- Clock Speed: Fixed at 2.2 GHz (without Turbo Boost).

- Process Technology: 32nm—an outdated standard even for budget chips in 2025.

- iGPU: Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) with a base frequency of 650 MHz. Supports DirectX 10.1 but struggles with modern 4K codecs.

Architectural Features:

Sandy Bridge brought improved IPC (instructions per clock) and an integrated graphics chip in 2011, but today it feels outdated. The lack of AVX2 support, limited cache (2MB L3), and support for DDR3 memory (up to 1333 MHz) make it unsuitable for modern tasks that require parallel processing.

Power Consumption and TDP: The Price of Age

- TDP: 35W—considered high even for budget laptops in 2025. In comparison, modern Intel Celeron N4500 (Jasper Lake) chips have a TDP of 6W.

- Heat and Cooling: Due to the 32nm process and lack of energy efficiency optimizations, laptops equipped with the B960 are often fitted with noisy coolers.

Practical Advice: Avoid ultra-thin models with this processor—overheating is guaranteed even when browsing.

Performance: Real Tasks vs. Geekbench Numbers

Geekbench 6:

- Single-Core: 340.

- Multi-Core: 569.

For comparison, the Apple A12 Bionic (iPhone XS, 2018) scores around ~1100/2500.

Use Case Scenarios:

1. Office Tasks: Word, Excel, and a browser with 5-7 tabs—acceptable, but with delays when launching heavy PDFs or online services like Google Docs.

2. Multimedia: Watching YouTube at 1080p is possible, but 4K or streaming services with AV1 codecs will cause lags.

3. Gaming: Only old games at low settings (e.g., Half-Life 2 or World of Tanks at 720p).

Turbo Mode: Absent. The processor runs at a fixed frequency, limiting its performance under "bursty" loads.

Usage Scenarios: Who is B960 Suitable for in 2025?

- Students: For writing essays and preparing presentations.

- Seniors: Basic browsing and messaging.

- As a Secondary Laptop: For trips where the risk of loss or damage to the device is high.

Important! Do not consider the B960 for:

- Photo/video work (even in Lightroom).

- Running modern operating systems (Windows 11 is officially unsupported).

- Online conferences with background effects (e.g., Zoom with virtual backgrounds).

Battery Life: The Battle Between the Battery and the Power-Hungry Chip

- Battery Life: Laptops with the B960 (typically with a 40-45 WHr battery) last 3-4 hours under minimal load. In comparison, modern budget models based on ARM or Intel N-series offer 8-10 hours.

- Power-Saving Technologies: Only basic SpeedStep (dynamic frequency scaling).

Advice: Always choose models with SSDs—this compensates for the slow CPU during system boot.

Comparison with Competitors: Who Else is in the Same Weight Class?

1. AMD E1-2100 (Jaguar, 2013): Worse in single-threaded tasks but comparable in TDP (9W).

2. Intel Celeron N4020 (Gemini Lake, 2019): 2 cores, 2 threads, but with a TDP of 6W and support for DDR4. Geekbench 6: ~450/800.

3. Apple M1 (2020): Not a price competitor, but highlights how much the industry has advanced: 1700/7500 in Geekbench 6.

Conclusion: Even among budget options of the 2020s, the B960 falls short on all fronts except price.

Pros and Cons: A Logical Breakdown

Strengths:

- Cost of laptops starting at $200.

- Repairability: Replacing the SSD or adding RAM does not require specialized skills.

- Compatibility with Windows 10 (official support until 2025).

Weaknesses:

- No support for modern standards: USB 3.1, Wi-Fi 6, HDMI 2.0.

- Limited performance for multitasking.

- High power consumption.

Laptop Selection Recommendations

1. Device Type: Only budget models (HP 250, Lenovo V15)—do not expect a thin chassis or bright screen.

2. Mandatory Specifications:

- SSD of at least 256 GB (no HDDs!).

- 8 GB RAM (4 GB in 2025 will be a struggle).

- Display with a resolution of at least 1920×1080.

3. Avoid:

- “Gaming” laptops with the B960—even with decade-old discrete graphics.

- Devices without warranty—high risk of component wear.

Alternative: For $350-$400, you can find a laptop with Intel Celeron N5100 (2021)—twice as powerful and with Wi-Fi 6 support.

Final Verdict: Who is the B960 for?

This processor is for those who critically need a budget under $250 and are willing to accept limitations. It’s suitable for:

- Basic tasks: documents, email, YouTube.

- As a temporary solution for 1-2 years.

Key Benefit: Price. However, if your tasks go beyond browsing, it’s better to pay an extra $100-$150 for a modern chip—it will save you time and frustration in the long run.

Final Note: The B960 in 2025 is like a feature phone in the smartphone era. It works, but don’t expect miracles.

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Basic

Label Name
Intel
Platform
Mobile
Launch Date
October 2011
Model Name
?
The Intel processor number is just one of several factors - along with processor brand, system configurations, and system-level benchmarks - to be considered when choosing the right processor for your computing needs.
B960
Code Name
Sandy Bridge

CPU Specifications

Total Cores
?
Cores is a hardware term that describes the number of independent central processing units in a single computing component (die or chip).
2
Total Threads
?
Where applicable, Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology is only available on Performance-cores.
2
Intel Turbo Boost Technology
?
Intel® Turbo Boost Technology dynamically increases the processor's frequency as needed by taking advantage of thermal and power headroom to give you a burst of speed when you need it, and increased energy efficiency when you don’t.
No
Intel Hyper-Threading Technology
?
Intel® Hyper-Threading Technology (Intel® HT Technology) delivers two processing threads per physical core. Highly threaded applications can get more work done in parallel, completing tasks sooner.
No
CPU Socket
?
The socket is the component that provides the mechanical and electrical connections between the processor and motherboard.
FCPGA988 | PGA988
Technology
?
Lithography refers to the semiconductor technology used to manufacture an integrated circuit, and is reported in nanometer (nm), indicative of the size of features built on the semiconductor.
32 nm
Max. Operating Temperature
?
Junction Temperature is the maximum temperature allowed at the processor die.
85C
PCI Express Version
?
PCI Express Revision is the supported version of the PCI Express standard. Peripheral Component Interconnect Express (or PCIe) is a high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for attaching hardware devices to a computer. The different PCI Express versions support different data rates.
2.0
Number of PCI Express Lanes
?
A PCI Express (PCIe) lane consists of two differential signaling pairs, one for receiving data, one for transmitting data, and is the basic unit of the PCIe bus. Max # of PCI Express Lanes is the total number of supported lanes.
16
Instruction Set
?
The instruction set is a hard program stored inside the CPU that guides and optimizes CPU operations. With these instruction sets, the CPU can run more efficiently. There are many manufacturers that design CPUs, which results in different instruction sets, such as the 8086 instruction set for the Intel camp and the RISC instruction set for the ARM camp. x86, ARM v8, and MIPS are all codes for instruction sets. Instruction sets can be extended; for example, x86 added 64-bit support to create x86-64. Manufacturers developing CPUs that are compatible with a certain instruction set need authorization from the instruction set patent holder. A typical example is Intel authorizing AMD, enabling the latter to develop CPUs compatible with the x86 instruction set.
64-bit
Intel 64
?
Intel® 64 architecture delivers 64-bit computing on server, workstation, desktop and mobile platforms when combined with supporting software.¹ Intel 64 architecture improves performance by allowing systems to address more than 4 GB of both virtual and physical memory.
Yes
PCI Express Configurations
?
PCI Express (PCIe) Configurations describe the available PCIe lane configurations that can be used to link to PCIe devices.
1x16 | 2x8 | 1x8 2x4

Memory Specifications

Memory Type
?
Intel® processors come in four different types: Single Channel, Dual Channel, Triple Channel, and Flex Mode. Maximum supported memory speed may be lower when populating multiple DIMMs per channel on products that support multiple memory channels.
DDR3 1066/1333
Max Memory Size
?
Max memory size refers to the maximum memory capacity supported by the processor.
16 GB
Memory Channels
?
The number of memory channels refers to the bandwidth operation for real world application.
2
Max Memory Bandwidth
?
Max Memory bandwidth is the maximum rate at which data can be read from or stored into a semiconductor memory by the processor (in GB/s).
21.3 GB/s
ECC Memory Supported
?
ECC Memory Supported indicates processor support for Error-Correcting Code memory. ECC memory is a type of system memory that can detect and correct common kinds of internal data corruption. Note that ECC memory support requires both processor and chipset support.
No

GPU Specifications

GPU Name
Intel® HD Graphics for 2nd Generation Intel® Processors
Graphics Base Frequency
?
Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.
650 MHz
Graphics Frequency
?
Graphics max dynamic frequency refers to the maximum opportunistic graphics render clock frequency (in MHz) that can be supported using Intel® HD Graphics with Dynamic Frequency feature.
1.10 GHz
Number of Displays Supported
2
Graphics Output
?
Graphics Output defines the interfaces available to communicate with display devices.
eDP/DP/HDMI/SDVO/CRT

Miscellaneous

Intel Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
?
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d) continues from the existing support for IA-32 (VT-x) and Itanium® processor (VT-i) virtualization adding new support for I/O-device virtualization. Intel VT-d can help end users improve security and reliability of the systems and also improve performance of I/O devices in virtualized environments.
No
Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
?
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x) allows one hardware platform to function as multiple “virtual” platforms. It offers improved manageability by limiting downtime and maintaining productivity by isolating computing activities into separate partitions.
No
Instruction Set Extensions
Intel® SSE4.1 | Intel® SSE4.2
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology
?
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology is an advanced means of enabling high performance while meeting the power-conservation needs of mobile systems. Conventional Intel SpeedStep® Technology switches both voltage and frequency in tandem between high and low levels in response to processor load. Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® Technology builds upon that architecture using design strategies such as Separation between Voltage and Frequency Changes, and Clock Partitioning and Recovery.
Yes
Execute Disable Bit
?
Execute Disable Bit is a hardware-based security feature that can reduce exposure to viruses and malicious-code attacks and prevent harmful software from executing and propagating on the server or network.
Yes
Intel AES New Instructions
?
Intel® AES New Instructions (Intel® AES-NI) are a set of instructions that enable fast and secure data encryption and decryption. AES-NI are valuable for a wide range of cryptographic applications, for example: applications that perform bulk encryption/decryption, authentication, random number generation, and authenticated encryption.
No
Intel Clear Video HD Technology
?
Intel® Clear Video HD Technology, like its predecessor, Intel® Clear Video Technology, is a suite of image decode and processing technologies built into the integrated processor graphics that improve video playback, delivering cleaner, sharper images, more natural, accurate, and vivid colors, and a clear and stable video picture. Intel® Clear Video HD Technology adds video quality enhancements for richer color and more realistic skin tones.
No
Intel InTru 3D Technology
No
Intel Flex Memory Access
Yes
Intel Quick Sync Video
?
Intel® Quick Sync Video delivers fast conversion of video for portable media players, online sharing, and video editing and authoring.
No

Benchmarks

Geekbench 6
Single Core Score
340
Geekbench 6
Multi Core Score
569
Geekbench 5
Single Core Score
355
Geekbench 5
Multi Core Score
626
Passmark CPU
Single Core Score
962
Passmark CPU
Multi Core Score
961

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core
Pentium Silver N5030
411 +20.9%
Xeon E7-8850
376 +10.6%
Pentium B960
340
A8-3800
290 -14.7%
Atom x7-E3950
238 -30%
Geekbench 6 Multi Core
Celeron J4125
784 +37.8%
Pentium G2020T
667 +17.2%
Pentium B960
569
Pentium P6300
464 -18.5%
Pentium N3710
273 -52%
Geekbench 5 Single Core
Core i7-2630QM
416 +17.2%
Core i3-390M
390 +9.9%
Pentium B960
355
Celeron G440
316 -11%
A6-5345M
277 -22%
Geekbench 5 Multi Core
Pentium 3825U
820 +31%
A6-5200
729 +16.5%
Pentium B960
626
Core i3-2377M
519 -17.1%
E-240
397 -36.6%
Passmark CPU Single Core
Core i5-2557M
1081 +12.4%
A6-4400M
1026 +6.7%
Pentium B960
962
A6-3600
897 -6.8%
A4-3300M
786 -18.3%
Passmark CPU Multi Core
A6-3410MX
1263 +31.4%
A6-5345M
1122 +16.8%
Pentium B960
961
A4-3305M
729 -24.1%
Celeron N2807
500 -48%