Core 2 Duo E4400 vs Phenom II X3 N830
Core 2 Duo E4400
Phenom II X3 N830
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 Core 2 Duo E4400 is positioned at rank 1001 and the Phenom II X3 N830 is on rank 603, so the Phenom II X3 N830 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo E4400
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X3 N830
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Duo E4400 | Phenom II X3 N830 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Allendale (2006−2009) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Duo E4400 | Phenom II X3 N830 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) | ✅ 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 Core 2 Duo E4400 and Phenom II X3 N830
Core 2 Duo E4400
The Core 2 Duo E4400 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 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 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: 1,095 points. Launch price was $249.
Phenom II X3 N830
The Phenom II X3 N830 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,107 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core 2 Duo E4400 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X3 N830 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom II X3 N830 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E4400 versus 2.1 GHz on the Phenom II X3 N830 — a 4.9% clock advantage for the Phenom II X3 N830. The Core 2 Duo E4400 uses the Allendale (2006−2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Phenom II X3 N830 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo E4400 scores 1,095 against the Phenom II X3 N830's 1,107 — a 1.1% lead for the Phenom II X3 N830.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E4400 | Phenom II X3 N830 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 2.1 GHz+5% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+33% | 1.5 MB |
| Process | 65 nm | 45 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Allendale (2006−2009) | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,095 | 1,107+1% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 208 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Duo E4400 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Phenom II X3 N830 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E4400 | Phenom II X3 N830 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-1066 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: None (Core 2 Duo E4400) / not specified (Phenom II X3 N830). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo E4400 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core 2 Duo E4400 rivals Athlon II X2 240.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E4400 | Phenom II X3 N830 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | None | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
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