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Intel Pentium B950

Intel Pentium B950

Intel Pentium B950: A Budget Processor for Basic Tasks in 2025

Overview of the capabilities and relevance of a ten-year-old laptop chip

Architecture and Process Technology: Sandy Bridge in the Era of 3 nm

The Intel Pentium B950 processor, released in 2011, is based on the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture and a 32-nm process technology. It is a dual-core chip without Hyper-Threading support (2 threads) with a base clock speed of 2.1 GHz. Turbo mode is absent, limiting performance in resource-intensive tasks. The integrated graphics is Intel HD Graphics (most likely HD 3000) with a base frequency of 650 MHz and support for DirectX 10.1. By 2025, this is archaic: modern iGPUs (such as Intel UHD Graphics in the 12th generation) operate 5–10 times faster.

Architecture Features:

- Improved branch predictor and instruction decoder compared to previous generations.

- AVX support — useful for some media tasks, but inadequate in 2025.

- 3 MB of L3 cache — modest even for basic tasks.

Power Consumption and TDP: Thermal Package of the 2010s

The TDP of the Pentium B950 is 35 watts. In comparison, modern budget processors (like the Intel Celeron N4500) have a TDP of 6–10 watts. High thermal output means that laptops with this chip require active cooling, leading to noise and increased weight (1.8–2.2 kg). In 2025, such devices can hardly be called portable — their competitors in the $300–400 segment (like the Lenovo IdeaPad 1 with AMD Athlon Silver 7120U) are thinner and quieter.

Performance: What Can the Pentium B950 Do in 2025?

Geekbench 6 results (328/539) show that the chip falls behind even budget smartphones. However, its capabilities are sufficient for basic tasks:

- Office Work: Google Docs, Excel with spreadsheets up to 1000 rows, Zoom with the background disabled.

- Multimedia: Viewing 1080p video (but not 4K), photo editing in Lightroom (with delays).

- Gaming: Only older games (like Half-Life 2) at low settings and 720p resolution. CS:GO achieves 20–25 FPS.

Turbo Mode: Absent. Under load, the processor maintains a steady 2.1 GHz but overheats in compact enclosures.

Usage Scenarios: Who Is This Processor Suitable For?

The Pentium B950 is a choice for:

1. Students needing a laptop for note-taking and web surfing.

2. Older Adults using the device for email and online television.

3. Budget Offices where heavy applications are not required.

Not suitable for:

- Video editing, 3D modeling.

- Modern games and AI applications.

- Multitasking (more than 5 browser tabs + background music).

Battery Life: How Long Will It Last?

Laptops with the Pentium B950 were equipped with 30–40 Wh batteries, which, given the TDP of 35 watts, provided 3–4 hours of operation. In 2025, even budget devices (like the Acer Aspire 3 with AMD Ryzen 3 7320U) deliver 8–10 hours.

Power-Saving Technologies:

- Intel SpeedStep — dynamic frequency scaling.

- C1/C3 States — reduced power consumption during idle times.

Unfortunately, these technologies are outdated — modern chips use AI optimization (like the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite).

Comparison with Competitors: How Did AMD and Apple Respond?

- AMD A6-3420M (2011): 4 cores, 35 W TDP, performance on par with Pentium B950 but worse in single-threaded tasks.

- Intel Core i3-2350M (2011): Hyper-Threading, 2.3 GHz — 15–20% faster in multi-threaded scenarios.

- Apple M1 (2020): Even five years later, the M1 outperforms the Pentium B950 by 8–10 times.

In 2025: Budget laptops priced at $350–400 (like the HP 15 with Intel N100) offer 3–4 times higher performance at half the power consumption.

Pros and Cons of the Pentium B950

Strengths:

- Cost: Laptops with this chip sell from $200 (new but with outdated OS).

- Repairability: Replacing thermal paste and SSD extends the device's life.

Weaknesses:

- No support for Windows 11 (only Linux or Windows 10).

- Weak GPU: Inability to connect to a 4K external monitor.

- Noisy cooling system.

Recommendations for Choosing a Laptop

If you're considering a device with the Pentium B950 in 2025, pay attention to:

1. Type of Storage: Only SSD (even 128 GB) — HDD will make the system unresponsive.

2. Amount of RAM: At least 8 GB (4 GB is insufficient for browsers).

3. Screen: Matte finish — for use in bright lighting.

Alternatives:

- For $300–400: Lenovo IdeaPad 1 with AMD Athlon Silver 7120U (2023) — supports Wi-Fi 6, 10 hours of battery life.

- For $250–300: Used MacBook Air M1 — 5 times more powerful but without warranty.

Final Conclusion: Is It Worth Buying?

The Intel Pentium B950 in 2025 is a choice for those who need a "digital typewriter" for minimal money. It serves as a workhorse for:

- Text typing.

- Watching YouTube.

- Working with office applications.

Key Advantages:

- Ultra-low price.

- Simple upgrades (SSD replacement, RAM additions).

However, if your budget exceeds $300, it's better to choose a modern laptop — it will last longer and won't disappoint you in performance.

Read more...

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.
B950
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.
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 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
Graphics Base Frequency
?
Graphics Base frequency refers to the rated/guaranteed graphics render clock frequency in MHz.
650 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 (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
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
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 Clear Video Technology
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
328
Geekbench 6
Multi Core Score
539
Geekbench 5
Single Core Score
362
Geekbench 5
Multi Core Score
643
Passmark CPU
Single Core Score
936
Passmark CPU
Multi Core Score
991

Compared to Other CPU

Geekbench 6 Single Core
Core i3-2120T
403 +22.9%
Core i5-3339Y
368 +12.2%
Pentium B950
328
Celeron B830
275 -16.2%
E2-3000M
219 -33.2%
Geekbench 6 Multi Core
A6-3430MX
748 +38.8%
Pentium G630
651 +20.8%
Pentium B950
539
A4-3310MX
414 -23.2%
Pentium 967
206 -61.8%
Geekbench 5 Single Core
Core i5-480M
421 +16.3%
Xeon E7-8850 v2
393 +8.6%
Pentium B950
362
Core M-5Y10a
326 -9.9%
A8-3520M
284 -21.5%
Geekbench 5 Multi Core
Core i3-2328M
831 +29.2%
Celeron 3965Y
741 +15.2%
Pentium B950
643
A10-6700T
532 -17.3%
A4-3320M
409 -36.4%
Passmark CPU Single Core
Xeon L5630
1046 +11.8%
Celeron G540T
995 +6.3%
Pentium B950
936
Opteron X2170
832 -11.1%
E2-3000M
731 -21.9%
Passmark CPU Multi Core
Celeron 3855U
1274 +28.6%
Pentium G640T
1139 +14.9%
Pentium B950
991
A4-3330MX
756 -23.7%
Atom S1260
526 -46.9%