Athlon II M320 vs Core 2 Duo T9500
Athlon II M320
Core 2 Duo T9500
Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon II M320 is positioned at rank 809 and the Core 2 Duo T9500 is on rank 343, so the Core 2 Duo T9500 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II M320
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo T9500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II M320 | Core 2 Duo T9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Caspian (2009) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II M320 | Core 2 Duo T9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon II M320 and Core 2 Duo T9500
Athlon II M320
The Athlon II M320 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Caspian (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g3. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,795 points. Launch price was $149.
Core 2 Duo T9500
The Core 2 Duo T9500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 January 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,799 points. Launch price was $530.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II M320 and Core 2 Duo T9500 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Athlon II M320 versus 2.6 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T9500 — a 21.3% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo T9500. The Athlon II M320 uses the Caspian (2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Duo T9500 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II M320 scores 1,795 against the Core 2 Duo T9500's 1,799 — a 0.2% lead for the Core 2 Duo T9500.
| Feature | Athlon II M320 | Core 2 Duo T9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.1 GHz | 2.6 GHz+24% |
| Base Clock | — | 2.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 6 MB L2 Cache |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 6 MB+500% |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Caspian (2009) | Penryn (2008−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,795 | 1,799 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 188 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,955 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II M320 uses the S1g3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo T9500 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-800 on the Athlon II M320 versus DDR3-1066 on the Core 2 Duo T9500 — the Core 2 Duo T9500 supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Chipset compatibility: Socket S1g3 (Athlon II M320) and GM45,PM45 (Core 2 Duo T9500).
| Feature | Athlon II M320 | Core 2 Duo T9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1g3 | PGA478 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-800 | DDR3-1066+50% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II M320) vs VT-x (Core 2 Duo T9500). Primary use case: Athlon II M320 targets Legacy Laptop, Core 2 Duo T9500 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon II M320 rivals Core 2 Duo T6400; Core 2 Duo T9500 rivals Athlon Silver 3050U.
| Feature | Athlon II M320 | Core 2 Duo T9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| IGPU Model | None | — |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | VT-x |
| Target Use | Legacy Laptop | Budget |
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