Ivy Bridge Pentium review {BENCHMARKS!}

[Artas1984]

You all remember my last review don't you?

This time i want to find out how much power do the new Ivy Bridge Pentium processors have as there are no reviews in the internet yet it seems. I was very pleased with the results of Sandy Bridge Pentium processors reviewed here - seeing how a CPU like G850 soundly outperformed the competition like Phenom II X2, Athlon II X3, Core 2 Duo Conroe, Core 2 Duo Wolfdale, Nehalem Pentium and even Nehalem Core i3 to some extent got me quite shocked. In this review i was even more surprised at how the "low life" Celeron dual core soundly vamped the Athlon II X2 to pieces. After that Sandy Bridge Celeron review a started calling my relatives and friends who still had Pentium 4 and Pentium D computers and did not have enough knowledge in computing to ever do an upgrade in life. I almost shouted at them like "you really need to upgrade your piece of trash Pentium 4 PC with at least a new dual core Celeron"! And i did the collecting and constructing job for them after. The price of that dual core Celeron was just a steal, people were selling slower processors in bulletins for higher prices.

Now, what i really missed in those reviews were comparisons with the most powerful Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad processors, even though the targeting price and market were different. Obliviously the Sandy Bridge Pentium G850 at 2.9 GHz did outperform the E7500 at 2.9 GHz, but i was not so sure about E8400, and especially about any Core 2 Quad Yorkfield CPU. This next review will be just about that!

However, as time passed i found that the Ivy Bridge Pentium processors have arrived and instead of G850, i will be benchmarking the newer G2020, released this month.

So this is Pentium G2020 VS Core 2 Duo E8400 VS Core 2 Quad Q9650 - how about that?







The thin heatsink is the same thin as was in the Sandy Bridge Pentium/Celeron box...

Test setup

Pentium G2020/Core 2 Duo E8400/Core 2 Quad Q9650
S1155 GA-B75-D3V & S775 Intel DX38BT
HyperX 4X2 Gb DDR3 1333 MHz CL7
GeForce GTX570 Super Overclocked 1280 Mb Windforce
Windows 7 Pro X64

CPU-Z 1.62 was showing incorrect info on the G2020, so instead i will just post the operating system main window. The 6.8 score is actually that of G2020...



Since this is not a model vs model benchmark, but architecture vs architecture (Ivy Bridge VS Core), the Pentium G2020 is overclocked from it's base 2900 MHz to 3000 MHz in order to equal the speed of Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad processors. I am not going to cover overclocking the G2020 here, because i do not have the perfect motherboard for it. Let's just get on with the benchmarks!

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SYNTHETIC SCORE BENCHMARKS

CINEBENCH 11.5



PASSMARK 7



REAL TIME BENCHMARKS

VIRTUAL DUB CUSTOM RAW VIDEO TO XVID COMPRESSION



VIRTUAL DUB CUSTOM RAW VIDEO TO FFDSHOW COMPRESSION



VIRTUAL DUB CUSTOM RAW VIDEO TO X264 COMPRESSION



WINZIP CUSTOM FILE COMPRESSION



WINZIP CUSTOM FILE EXTRACTION



IRFAN VIEW CUSTOM JPEG PHOTO ARCHIVE TO GIF CONVERTION



GAMING BENCHMARKS

ALAN WAKE 1.02.16.4261 (all settings max, 1920X1080, 2X AA) {Fraps 15 seconds benchmark}



Looks like Alan Wake does not favor multi core processors, thus the G2020 is soundly 16 % ahead of E8400 and Q9650.

AVATAR 1.02 (all settings max, 1920X1080, NO AA) {Fraps 15 seconds benchmark}



G2020 is 9 % ahead of E8400, but both are demolished by Q9650.

CRYOSTASIS 1.02 (all settings max, 1920X1080, NO AA) {Fraps 15 seconds benchmark}



Unaffected by 4 cores Cryostasis sets the G2020 slightly above the competition.

CRYSIS 1.2 (all settings max, 1920X1080, NO AA) {in-game CPU benchmark 1}



Many times it has been said that Crysis does not favor multi core CPU. BS. Probably it has been said so because Crysis was tested with significantly slower video cards that my GTX570 back in the Core 2 Quad days. Now clearly both dual core processors bottleneck the GTX570 under these settings and only with the Q9650 the game is playable at all. Still though, the G2020 leads over E8400 by a 20 %. Nice.

Formula 1 2011 1.0 (all settings max, 1920X1080, NO AA) {in-game Monte Carlo benchmark}



G2020 is 18 % faster than E8400, but both dual core processors are just manhandled by Q9650. The quad core has more than twice performance level of the E8400 - what a big bottleneck for a GTX570 a dual core CPU in this game is...

HARD RESET 1.5 (all settings max, 1920X1080, NO AA) {in-game benchmark}



G2020 is slightly ahead of E8400, but the gap to Q9650 is just colossal. Q9650 manages to pull some 250 % gain over dual core processors in minimal FPS - and that is the key factor in any game. Hard Reset is a heavily multi core optimized game.

HAWX 1.01 (all settings max, 1920X1080, NO AA) {in-game benchmark}



G2020 is 12 % ahead of E8400, but 37 % behind Q9650. It should be a no surprise that HAWX is a heavily multi core optimized game.

SERIOUS SAM 3 1.0 (CPU ULTRA, VGA ULTRA, VRAM MEDIUM, 1920X1080, NO AA) {Fraps 15 seconds benchmark}



G2020 is 8 % ahead of E8400 and Q9650. Serious Sam does not utilize multi cores when unpatched - can not tell you more than than, sorry.

STALKER CALL OF PRIPYAT 1.6.0.2 (all settings max, 1920X1080, NO AA, default SSAO) {official 4-step benchmark)



G2020 is 9 % ahead of E8400 and 5 % ahead of Q9650.

WORLD IN CONFLICT 1.9 (all settings max, 1920X1080, NO AA) {in-game benchmark}



G2020 is 25 % ahead of E8400, yet as we know, World In Conflict is one of those multi core flourished games, so it is a no surprise that Q9650 is the champ here, beating E8400 by 200 % and keeping that minimal FPS just over 30.

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Overall the Pentium Ivy Bridge 3 GHz CPU soundly bested the Core 2 Duo E8400 in absolutely every benchmark, so this is a clear answer to all who are wondering about upgrading their old Core 2 systems, but having a very limited budged - the Ivy Bridge Pentium is your CPU right now! Not a gaming CPU though - too weak for 1920X1080 resolution and a GTX570. Probably a good gaming CPU for HD7750 or GTX650 under 1280X960 resolution..
Some people are selling used Core 2 Duo, Phenom II X2 and Nehalem Core i3 processors more expensive than you can get a new G2020, which is just absurd as even the Sandy Bridge G850 outperformed all them in the Pentium Sandy Bridge review. I wanted to make this benchmark so that i had some proof to stick them people in the eye and tell just how much can they get for their old dual core trash.:thumb:

 

[MxPhenom 216]

Is this chips memory controller still limited to 1066mhz memory like the Sandy Bridge pentium chips? Or can it take memory to 1333mhz+?

 

[Jack1n]

http://ark.intel.com/products/71070/Intel-Pentium-Processor-G2020-3M-Cache-2_90-GHz
According to Intel's website it now supports up to 1333mhz.

 

[Sasqui]

Apples and grapes

Core2's rocked! Compare them to a i5 3570 or an i7 3770, and then get back with more.

 

[NinkobEi]

So this thing will fit in my Socket 775? How well does it overclock?

 

[Compgeke]

Pentium G2020 is Socket 1155, so won't fit into a Socket 755 board.

 

[[502]]

Pentium G2020 is Socket 1155, so won't fit into a Socket 755 board.

Are you aware that he's being sarcastic?

 

[...PACMAN...]

Still not worth getting IMO, if you are a gamer just get a quad thats affordable. Unfortunately I'm stuck with an FX4100 That will change in the next couple of months.

 

[Artas1984]

So this thing will fit in my Socket 775? How well does it overclock?

I am not sure whether you are playing stupid here or what. I think i have written it clearly that this is an IVY BRIDGE Pentium, meaning it is not S775... Now i did not write that in the beginning, but i thought that this should be so obvious...

I can not tell you how well does it overclock, because the B75 motherboard only allows 107 MHz FSB overclock, it does not have CPU voltage control.

Besides, people buying a low end CPU like G2020 won't have the money to invest in a quality Z77 motherboard, they will just get a H61 or B75, so overclocking is not important anyway. Having that in mind, there was no need even asking about overclocking actually.

 

[NinkobEi]

Well I was a little shocked that Intel might release a new 775 chip. You were comparing them to socket 775 CPUs so I thought maybe there is a chance, for some backwards reasoning, that it was also 775. But yes a quick google shows it is 1155 socket.

As for overclocking, it is always a question to ask especially on these forums. A lot of low powered CPUs can hit very high clocks which lets them compete with their more expensive cousins.

How much does the CPU cost? If it is designed for a budget system, how does it compare to AMD's budget cpus? Heck AMDs most expensive CPU is only $199! Maybe offering benchmarks for cpus in the same price range would be better than facing it off against 4 year old architecture.

Overall it is a very well done review, and much appreciated. Please don't take my criticism as insult, I am just offering an outsider's opinion!

 

[jagd]

Thanks it is really nice .We needed something like this with some other cpus like AMD 965 BE i3 2120/3220 included for long time .
I see people missing a point e8400/8500 is fastest core2duos and priced high at even used Pentium G2020 may better /cheaper alternative to e8400 ,yes there is a motherboard and ram upgrade but you can sell cpu +mobo +ram trio also , you need to calculate cost of both + upgrade to DDR3 advantage and decide for yourself if it is ok or not
cpus
This can be very nice simple upgrade guide with addition of AMD 965 /i3 2120/3220

 

[Artas1984]

Maybe offering benchmarks for cpus in the same price range would be better than facing it off against 4 year old architecture.

Not exactly the point... One of the most pissing things for me when i look at any hardware reviews is that i see the reviewed hardware being compared against the equally new competition, but there are no older generation hardware included - that annoys me. For example: i give a damn about some POS GTX650 when a HD7750 is reviewed - all i want to know really in a HD7750 review is how does it for instance compare to the older HD5750 or HD4850, but no - the reviewers would not include that and that is just abysmal! I hate such reviews! My whole purpose of this CPU review was to find out would the Ivy Bridge Pentium beat the Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad, which are probably still the most used processors in the world. Αnd because people are selling these Core generation CPUs all over the bulletins so expensive, that i just had to make this review and prove to them and myself where the money would be worth spending.

Well I was a little shocked that Intel might release a new 775 chip. You were comparing them to socket 775 CPUs so I thought maybe there is a chance, for some backwards reasoning, that it was also 775. But yes a quick google shows it is 1155 socket.

In that case, you were not sarcastic at all, and my regrets to you.

How much does the CPU cost?

50 EU, which is 25 EU less than a basic Z77 motherboard. Having that in mind, OC was out of the question really, though of course i do agree that covering CPU overcloking is key important! But in this case it just would not make sense buying a 75 EU MB just to OC a 50 EU CPU - get it?

And i will update this benchmark with other CPUs once i will sell my S775 stuff, i promise.

 

[Artas1984]

Made a video presentation out of this benchmark some time ago:

 

[Keullo-e]

Damn what a good review!

 

[Frick]

This is exactly what I was looking for, the Sandy/Ivy Pentiums can be quite cheap, but ... it's not really worth it unless I can get a cheap motherboard as well, and that is hard. Everyone usually asks like €40 for the most basic mATX boards, and that is not worth it.

Many thanks for the review!

 

[Caring1]

I can not tell you how well does it overclock, because the B75 motherboard only allows 107 MHz FSB overclock, it does not have CPU voltage control.

Besides, people buying a low end CPU like G2020 won't have the money to invest in a quality Z77 motherboard, they will just get a H61 or B75, so overclocking is not important anyway. Having that in mind, there was no need even asking about overclocking actually.

And E8400 does overclock, and very well too, so those that say it is better are still correct.
Try benchmarking the Ivy Bridge Pentium, overclocked and compare it to an overclocked E8400.
Sometimes it's just not worth upgrading.