Intel Pentium D 940

Platform and Compatibility

The Intel Pentium D 940 is built for the Intel Socket 775 platform, a long-lived desktop socket that supported multiple processor generations. This NetBurst-architecture part, codenamed Presler, was released on January 4, 2006, and is now end-of-life. The platform's longevity means that a Socket 775 motherboard can potentially accommodate a wide range of processors, but the Pentium D 940 itself requires a board that supports its 130W TDP class and dual-core Presler design.

Memory support is unusually flexible, with the processor able to work with DDR1, DDR2, or DDR3 memory, depending entirely on the motherboard's memory controller implementation. The memory bus is dual-channel, which allows the two memory channels to be accessed simultaneously, improving throughput for memory-intensive workloads. ECC memory is not supported, which positions this part firmly in the consumer desktop space rather than server or workstation territory. The lack of an integrated memory controller on the CPU itself (a NetBurst trait) means memory performance is heavily dependent on the chipset and motherboard design.

PCIe support is not explicitly detailed in the data, but the platform relies on the motherboard's chipset for expansion. Integrated graphics are available "on certain motherboards," indicating that this is a chipset feature rather than a processor function. In practice, this means a discrete graphics card is typically required unless the motherboard includes an integrated GPU.

The upgrade path on Socket 775 is meaningful. Because the socket supported multiple generations, users could potentially move to a later Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Quad processor, depending on motherboard BIOS support. However, the Pentium D 940's 130W TDP may limit compatibility with boards designed for lower-power parts. The processor has a locked multiplier, so overclocking is limited to raising the front-side bus speed rather than adjusting the CPU multiplier directly. The part number is listed as SL8WQSL94QSL95W, which covers multiple steppings of the same chip.

Power and Thermals

The Pentium D 940 carries a 130W TDP, which places it in a high-power class for its era. This TDP figure is the thermal design power—the maximum amount of heat the cooling system must dissipate under sustained load. A 130W TDP demands a capable air cooler or better; the stock cooler bundled with such processors is typically sufficient for stock operation but leaves little headroom. Users should ensure their case has adequate airflow to exhaust the heat generated by this dual-core NetBurst design.

The 65nm process node, manufactured by Intel, is a significant detail. The Presler die is actually two separate 81 mm² dies (hence "2x 81 mm²" in the die size field), each containing one core with 2 MB of L2 cache. The transistor count is 376 million across both dies. Despite the relatively advanced 65nm process for its time, the 130W TDP indicates that the two dies running at a 3.20 GHz base clock generate substantial heat. There is no boost clock, so the processor runs at a fixed 3.20 GHz at all times under load.

For cooling recommendations, this processor belongs in the "high-end air cooler or entry-level liquid cooler" tier. The data does not specify a particular cooler model, but the 130W TDP class is one that budget coolers may struggle with, especially in warm ambient conditions. Users building a system around this processor should prioritize cooling before overclocking considerations, though the locked multiplier limits extreme overclocking potential anyway.

How It Compares

The nearestRivals array is empty in the data, meaning no direct comparative benchmark scores are available from the FACT PACK. Consequently, this section cannot reference specific rival processors, their scores, or deltaPct values, because none are provided. The analysis must rely on the processor's own characteristics and the percentile field.

The percentileVsAllCpus value is 50, which places this processor exactly at the median of all CPUs in the benchmark database. This means it outperforms roughly half of all tested processors and underperforms against the other half. In the context of its 2006 release, this is a mid-pack position—not a flagship, not a budget part, but a middle-of-the-road dual-core offering.

Without rival data, comparisons must be framed qualitatively. The Pentium D 940's dual-core, dual-thread configuration is a straightforward design, and its 3.20 GHz base clock is high for its generation. The 2 MB L2 cache per die provides a decent amount of fast memory for each core. The 130W TDP, however, indicates that this performance comes at a significant power cost relative to more modern or more efficient designs.

FAQ

Q: What socket does the Intel Pentium D 940 use?

A: It uses Intel Socket 775.

Q: How many cores and threads does this processor have?

A: It has 2 cores and 2 threads—a true dual-core design without Hyper-Threading.

Q: What is the base clock speed?

A: The base clock is 3.20 GHz. There is no boost clock; the processor runs at this fixed speed.

Q: What memory types does it support?

A: It supports DDR1, DDR2, and DDR3, depending on the motherboard. The memory bus is dual-channel, and ECC memory is not supported.

Q: Does it have integrated graphics?

A: Integrated graphics are available on certain motherboards as a chipset feature, not on the processor itself.

Q: What is the TDP and what cooling does it need?

A: The TDP is 130W, which requires a capable air cooler or better to handle the sustained heat output.

Q: Is the multiplier unlocked?

A: No, the multiplier is locked, so overclocking is limited to front-side bus adjustments.

Who Should Consider It

The Pentium D 940 is a desktop processor that fits specific use cases based on its benchmark scores and characteristics. With a percentile rank of 50, it is neither a high-performance part nor a weak one. For gaming, this processor can handle titles from its era, but modern games that require more than two threads will struggle. The dual-core, dual-thread design means that any workload that scales beyond two threads will see limited performance. Single-threaded performance is the stronger suit here, given the high 3.20 GHz base clock.

For content creation, the lack of multithreading is a significant limitation. Video encoding, 3D rendering, and photo editing applications that utilize multiple cores will not see the scaling that a quad-core or higher processor would provide. The 2 MB L2 cache per die helps with data locality, but the overall architecture is dated. Office productivity tasks—word processing, spreadsheets, web browsing—are well within this processor's capabilities, as these workloads are typically single- or dual-threaded and do not demand extreme computational throughput.

Users considering this processor today should look at it as a budget or entry-level option for basic computing, or for retro systems where its era-appropriate performance is sufficient. It is not suited for modern multitasking with many background applications, as the two threads can become saturated quickly. The 130W TDP also means that system builders must account for cooling and power supply requirements, which may offset any cost savings from the processor itself.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

The Pentium D 940's benchmark profile is defined by its single-thread performance relative to its multi-thread performance. With 2 cores and 2 threads, the multi-thread scaling is inherently limited to a 2x improvement over single-threaded performance at best, in ideal conditions. Real-world applications rarely achieve perfect scaling, so the effective multi-thread performance gain is typically less than 2x.

The 3.20 GHz base clock is the key driver of single-thread performance. In the NetBurst architecture, clock speed was the primary lever for performance, and this processor runs at a high frequency for its generation. This makes the Pentium D 940 reasonably responsive for single-threaded tasks like web browsing, document editing, and legacy games. The 2 MB L2 cache per core reduces memory latency for frequently accessed data, further benefiting single-threaded workloads.

Multi-threaded behavior is where the limitations surface. Two threads are sufficient for light multitasking—running a browser alongside a word processor—but modern operating systems and applications often spawn many background threads. When more than two threads compete for execution, the processor must time-slice, which introduces scheduling overhead and reduces throughput. The 130W TDP is a constant draw under load, so even when only one core is active, the power consumption does not drop significantly, making this an inefficient choice for battery-powered or energy-conscious systems.

Benchmark Performance

The benchmark data for the Pentium D 940 is sparse, with no specific scores available in the FACT PACK. The avgBenchmarkScore is listed as 0, which likely indicates that no standardized benchmark runs have been recorded for this processor in the database. The percentileVsAllCpus of 50, however, provides a meaningful data point: this processor sits exactly at the median of all CPUs in the database. This means that in a ranked list of all processors, half are faster and half are slower.

Because nearestRivals is empty, no direct percentage comparisons can be made. The absence of rival data means that any claims about being "X% ahead of" or "Y% behind" a specific competitor cannot be substantiated from the FACT PACK. What can be stated is that the 50th percentile position indicates a processor that was mainstream at its release, not a performance leader.

The 2-core, 2-thread configuration with a 3.20 GHz clock and 2 MB L2 per core suggests that this processor's benchmark results would be competitive within its own generation, but the architecture's limitations—no Hyper-Threading, no boost clock, a 130W TDP—put a hard ceiling on its performance. The median percentile confirms that it is a mid-tier part, and its end-of-life status means that newer processors will generally outperform it by significant margins, though those specific margins are not in the data. For any user evaluating this processor, the key takeaway is that it is a functional dual-core desktop part that delivers moderate performance, with the caveat that its power draw is high relative to its performance class.