Core 2 Duo E7600 vs Core i5-2537M

Core 2 Duo E7600

2 Cores2 Thrd65 WWMax: 0.07 GHz2009

Core i5-2537M

2 Cores4 Thrd17 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core 2 Duo E7600

2 / 2

1,150

+0.5%

1,144

0.0%

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 E7600 is positioned at rank 1019 and the Core i5-2537M is on rank 1217, so the Core 2 Duo E7600 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo E7600

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

36036%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

34051%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

24724%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

7448%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

5900%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

5161%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

2956%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

2917%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

2656%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

2656%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

2626%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

2556%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

2520%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

2510%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

2487%

#396

Ryzen Embedded R2314

MSRP: $300|Avg: $762

89%

#1019

Core 2 Duo E7600

MSRP: $133|Avg: $50

100%

#1020

Core 2 Duo E8700

MSRP: $256|Avg: $30

100%

#1021

Core i7-3970X

MSRP: $990|Avg: $60

100%

#1022

Core 2 Duo E6550

MSRP: $163|Avg: $20

99%

#1023

Phenom X3 8450

MSRP: $145|Avg: $147

97%

#1024

Core i7-3960X

MSRP: $999|Avg: $60

97%

#1025

Celeron 2.70

MSRP: $49|Avg: $49

96%

#1027

A10 PRO-7850B

MSRP: $426|Avg: $140

93%

#1028

Core 2 Quad Q8200

MSRP: $224|Avg: $36

93%

#1029

A12-9800E

MSRP: $426|Avg: $150

93%

#1030

Phenom II X6 1065T

MSRP: $426|Avg: $170

93%

#1031

Celeron 440

MSRP: $59|Avg: $10

92%

#1032

A8-3820

MSRP: $280|Avg: $200

90%

#1033

Core i7-860S

MSRP: $299|Avg: $96

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-2537M

#1205

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

6406%

#1206

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

6312%

#1207

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

5795%

#1208

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

5769%

#1209

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

5716%

#1211

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

5520%

#1212

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

5293%

#1213

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

5284%

#1214

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

5142%

#1217

Core i5-2537M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

100%

#1218

Core i7-720QM

MSRP: $364|Avg: N/A

99%

#1219

Pentium U5400

MSRP: $289|Avg: $214

97%

#1220

Pentium T2330

MSRP: $150|Avg: $7

97%

#1221

Z-01

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

94%

#1222

Pentium T2310

MSRP: $150|Avg: $14

91%

#1223

Celeron SU2300

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

89%

#1224

Core i5-560UM

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

89%

#1225

Core i7-660UM

MSRP: $317|Avg: N/A

88%

#1226

C-30

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

88%

#1228

Core i7-620UM

MSRP: $278|Avg: N/A

86%

#1230

Celeron 570

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

82%

#1232

Core i7-820QM

MSRP: $546|Avg: N/A

73%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i5-2537M leads in gaming performance. However, the Core 2 Duo E7600 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.5% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core 2 Duo E7600	Core i5-2537M
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($50)	⚠️ Higher cost ($250)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core 2 Duo E7600 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 80% cheaper ($50 vs $250) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core 2 Duo E7600	Core i5-2537M
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+403%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($50)	⚠️ Higher cost ($250)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Core 2 Duo E7600 Benchmark Check

Core i5-2537M Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo E7600 and Core i5-2537M

Core 2 Duo E7600

The Core 2 Duo E7600 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 3.06 GHz, with boost up to 0.07 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: 1,150 points. Launch price was $249.

Core i5-2537M

The Core i5-2537M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,144 points. Launch price was $250.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 2 Duo E7600 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i5-2537M's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.07 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E7600 versus 2.3 GHz on the Core i5-2537M — a 188.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-2537M (base: 3.06 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). The Core 2 Duo E7600 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-2537M uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo E7600 scores 1,150 against the Core i5-2537M's 1,144 — a 0.5% lead for the Core 2 Duo E7600. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 422 vs 427, a 1.2% lead for the Core i5-2537M that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 690 vs 717 (3.8% advantage for the Core i5-2537M). L3 cache: 0 kB on the Core 2 Duo E7600 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-2537M.

Feature	Core 2 Duo E7600	Core i5-2537M
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	0.07 GHz	2.3 GHz+3186%
Base Clock	3.06 GHz+119%	1.4 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	3 MB (total)+1100%	256K (per core)
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Wolfdale (2008−2010)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,150	1,144
Geekbench 6 Single	422	427+1%
Geekbench 6 Multi	690	717+4%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo E7600 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core i5-2537M uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Core 2 Duo E7600 versus 1333 on the Core i5-2537M — the Core i5-2537M supports 199.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: P45,P43,G45,G43,P35,G33 (Core 2 Duo E7600) and HM65,HM67,QM67,QS57,QS67,UM67 (Core i5-2537M).

Feature	Core 2 Duo E7600	Core i5-2537M
Socket	LGA775	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	1333+44333%
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB+104857500%	16
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x (Core 2 Duo E7600) vs true (Core i5-2537M). The Core i5-2537M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 3000), while the Core 2 Duo E7600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core 2 Duo E7600 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Core 2 Duo E7600 rivals Athlon II X2 250; Core i5-2537M rivals Core i5-2410M.