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Intel Pentium 957

Intel Pentium 957

Intel Pentium 957: A Budget Processor for Basic Tasks. Review and Recommendations for 2025

Introduction

Despite the fact that Intel's Sandy Bridge architecture was introduced back in 2011, processors from this line are still found in budget laptops today. The Pentium 957 is a typical representative of this generation, aimed at non-demanding users. In 2025, such devices are positioned as the most affordable solutions for working with office applications, web surfing, and multimedia. Let’s figure out who this processor suits and what to pay attention to when choosing a laptop with it.

Architecture and Process Technology: The Basis of Sandy Bridge

Cores, Threads, and Frequencies

- Cores and Threads: The Pentium 957 is a dual-core processor without Hyper-Threading support (2 threads). This limits its multitasking capabilities but is sufficient for simple scenarios.

- Clock Frequencies: The base frequency is 1.2 GHz, with a maximum Turbo Boost frequency of 1.8 GHz. Turbo mode is activated when one core is under load, for example, when launching a browser or a PDF editor.

- iGPU: Integrated Intel HD Graphics (Sandy Bridge) with a frequency of 350–950 MHz. It supports basic video decoding (HD 1080p) through Quick Sync technologies, but it cannot handle modern codecs such as AV1 or VP9.

Architecture Features

- 32nm Process Technology: By the standards of 2025, this is considered outdated, affecting energy efficiency.

- Cache Memory: 3 MB of L3 cache is the minimum even for office tasks.

- Instruction Support: Lacks AVX and other modern extensions, which limits compatibility with some software.

Power Consumption and TDP: A Balance between Longevity and Performance

- TDP: 17 watts. This allows the processor to be used in thin laptops without active cooling, but in reality, even light loads cause heating.

- Energy Savings: SpeedStep and C-States technologies dynamically reduce frequency and disable unused cores. However, due to older manufacturing norms, energy savings are less effective compared to modern chips (like Intel Alder Lake or AMD Zen 4).

Performance: What Can the Pentium 957 Do in 2025?

Office Work

- Tests: In PCMark 10 (Basic), it scores around 1500 points. This is sufficient for working with Microsoft Office, Zoom, and 5-10 tabs in the browser. However, heavy Excel sheets or Google Meet with background effects cause lag.

- Example: Opening a 100-page Word document takes 2-3 seconds, while rendering a PDF can take up to 10 seconds.

Multimedia

- Video: Playback of YouTube 1080p (H.264) is possible, but 4K or streaming services using AV1 will cause stuttering. It’s better to use external players (like VLC) with hardware acceleration.

- Audio: Basic audio format support works without issues.

Gaming

- iGPU: Intel HD Graphics can only handle games up to 2010 (for example, Half-Life 2) at low settings. Even Minecraft (without shaders) produces 20-25 FPS.

- Advice: For gaming, an external graphics card is needed, but it is usually absent in laptops with a Pentium 957.

Turbo Boost Mode

When a single core is under load, the frequency rises to 1.8 GHz, speeding up single-threaded tasks by 15-20%. However, prolonged usage may lead to throttling due to overheating.

Use Cases: Who is the Processor Suitable For?

- Students: For preparation of reports, online courses, and social media communication.

- Seniors: Basic tasks: email, photo viewing, Skype.

- Office Workers: Text editors, spreadsheets, presentations (without complex animations).

- Not Suitable For: Gamers, designers, programmers, and anyone working with graphics, video editing, or virtualization.

Battery Life: How Long Will the Battery Last?

- Operating Time: In laptops with a 40-45 Wh battery — 4-6 hours with moderate load (brightness 50%, Wi-Fi, browser). At maximum performance — up to 2 hours.

- Energy-Saving Technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep: Reduces frequency when idle.

- C-States: Disables cores during inactivity.

- Advice: Install Linux (like Lubuntu) to increase battery life by 1-2 hours.

Comparison with Competitors: What to Choose Instead of the Pentium 957?

AMD

- Athlon Silver 3050U (Zen, 15W): 2 cores/2 threads, but a more modern architecture (14nm). About 30% faster in multitasking, better graphics with Radeon. Laptops starting at $300.

Intel

- Celeron N5100 (Jasper Lake, 10nm): 4 cores, AVX support, UHD iGPU with AV1 decoding. Laptops starting at $350.

Apple

- Apple M1 (2020): Even the base MacBook Air on M1 (8 cores) is significantly more powerful. However, the price starts at $999 making it inaccessible for budget users.

Conclusion: The Pentium 957 falls behind even budget models in 2025, but it may be advantageous if the laptop price is below $250.

Pros and Cons

Strengths

- Price: Laptops starting at $200 (new, for example, HP 14s-fq0010ur).

- Sufficient for Basic Tasks: If multitasking is not required.

- Passive Cooling: Some models operate silently.

Weaknesses

- Outdated Architecture: Lacks support for modern instructions and technologies.

- Weak Graphics: Unable to comfortably watch 4K or play games.

- Overheating: Even with a TDP of 17W, throttling can occur in thin cases.

Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

- Device Type: Ultrabook or budget laptop (examples: Lenovo IdeaPad 1 or Acer Aspire 3).

- What to Check:

- SSD: Essential! An HDD will slow down even simple tasks.

- RAM: Minimum 8GB (4GB in 2025 is a struggle).

- Screen: IPS panel with a resolution of 1920×1080. HD+ (1366×768) worsens the experience.

- Ports: USB-C with charging support is a big plus.

Final Conclusion: Who is the Pentium 957 Suitable For?

This processor is for those who:

- Are looking for the cheapest new laptop (up to $250).

- Use it for basic tasks: Document work, video watching, communication.

- Value silence: No fan in some models.

Key Benefits: Low price, sufficient performance for basic needs, compactness. However, if the budget allows $300-400, it’s better to choose a laptop with Intel N-series or AMD Athlon Silver — they will last longer and provide a better experience in the future.

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Basic

Label Name
Intel
Platform
Mobile
Launch Date
April 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.
957
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.
FCBGA1023
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.
100
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.
8.01 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

Graphics Base Frequency
?
Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.
350 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.
800 MHz
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 5
Single Core Score
725
Geekbench 5
Multi Core Score
8737
Passmark CPU
Single Core Score
574
Passmark CPU
Multi Core Score
622

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 5 Single Core
Xeon Platinum 8160
760 +4.8%
Celeron G5905
741 +2.2%
Pentium 957
725
Core i5-6267U
704 -2.9%
Xeon Gold 6140
681 -6.1%
Geekbench 5 Multi Core
Xeon W-2155
9936 +13.7%
Core i7-1280P
9320 +6.7%
Pentium 957
8737
Core i5-13600HRE
8194 -6.2%
EPYC 7453
7828 -10.4%
Passmark CPU Single Core
A6-3430MX
822 +43.2%
Celeron 887
703 +22.5%
Pentium U5600
588 +2.4%
Pentium 957
574
Atom Z670
95 -83.4%
Passmark CPU Multi Core
Celeron G550T
1102 +77.2%
Celeron 1017U
888 +42.8%
A4-3320M
668 +7.4%
Pentium 957
622
Celeron B710
106 -83%