Core 2 Duo E4300 vs Pentium 2117U

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.

Core 2 Duo E4300 vs Pentium 2117U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core 2 Duo E4300 vs Pentium 2117U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core 2 Duo E4300

2006

Why buy it

✅Draws 65W instead of 512W, a 447W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (true), unlike Pentium 2117U.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,005 vs 1,009).
❌Launch MSRP is still $113 MSRP, while Pentium 2117U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Pentium 2117U

2012

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌687.7% higher power demand at 512W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core 2 Duo E4300.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium 2117U better than Core 2 Duo E4300?

Yes. Pentium 2117U is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.4% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

For gaming, this matchup is basically a tie in the data we have.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 2117U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Pentium 2117U is still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium 2117U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $113 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core 2 Duo E4300 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2006 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (8.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA775.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Pentium 2117U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2006) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core 2 Duo E4300 vs Pentium 2117U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core 2 Duo E4300

The Core 2 Duo E4300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Allendale (2006−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,005 points. Launch price was $249.

Pentium 2117U

The Pentium 2117U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,009 points. Launch price was $134.

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Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo E4300 and Pentium 2117U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E4300 versus 1.8 GHz on the Pentium 2117U — identical boost frequencies (base: 1.8 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Core 2 Duo E4300 uses the Allendale (2006−2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium 2117U uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo E4300 scores 1,005 against the Pentium 2117U's 1,009 — a 0.4% lead for the Pentium 2117U. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Core 2 Duo E4300 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 2117U.

Feature	Core 2 Duo E4300	Pentium 2117U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.8 GHz	1.8 GHz
Base Clock	1.8 GHz	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB	256K (per core)+12700%
Process	65 nm	22 nm-66%
Architecture	Allendale (2006−2009)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	1,005	1,009

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo E4300 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium 2117U uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.