Core 2 Duo E7300 vs Phenom II X3 P820
Core 2 Duo E7300
Phenom II X3 P820
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 E7300 is positioned at rank 969 and the Phenom II X3 P820 is on rank 419, so the Phenom II X3 P820 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 E7300
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X3 P820
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Duo E7300 | Phenom II X3 P820 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($133) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Duo E7300 | Phenom II X3 P820 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($133) | ✅ 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 E7300 and Phenom II X3 P820
Core 2 Duo E7300
The Core 2 Duo E7300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 2.67 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 3 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,555 points. Launch price was $249.
Phenom II X3 P820
The Phenom II X3 P820 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: 1.8 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: 1,560 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core 2 Duo E7300 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X3 P820 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom II X3 P820 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.67 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E7300 versus 1.8 GHz on the Phenom II X3 P820 — a 38.9% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo E7300. The Core 2 Duo E7300 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X3 P820 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo E7300 scores 1,555 against the Phenom II X3 P820's 1,560 — a 0.3% lead for the Phenom II X3 P820.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E7300 | Phenom II X3 P820 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 2.67 GHz+48% | 1.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.66 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 3 MB (total)+100% | 1.5 MB |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Wolfdale (2008−2010) | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,555 | 1,560 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 412 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 725 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Duo E7300 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Phenom II X3 P820 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E7300 | Phenom II X3 P820 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-800 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Core 2 Duo E7300) / not specified (Phenom II X3 P820). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo E7300 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Core 2 Duo E7300 rivals Athlon II X2 245.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E7300 | Phenom II X3 P820 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| IGPU Model | None | — |
| Unlocked | Yes | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Legacy Desktop | — |
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