Core 2 Duo E8600 vs Pentium G840
Core 2 Duo E8600
Pentium G840
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 E8600 is positioned at rank 1050 and the Pentium G840 is on rank 764, so the Pentium G840 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 E8600
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G840
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Duo E8600 | Pentium G840 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($95) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Duo E8600 | Pentium G840 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+528%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($95) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
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 E8600 and Pentium G840
Core 2 Duo E8600
The Core 2 Duo E8600 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 3.33 GHz, with boost up to 3.33 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,378 points. Launch price was $249.
Pentium G840
The Pentium G840 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 22 May 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,367 points. Launch price was $60.
Processing Power
Both the Core 2 Duo E8600 and Pentium G840 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.33 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E8600 versus 2.8 GHz on the Pentium G840 — a 17.3% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo E8600 (base: 3.33 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core 2 Duo E8600 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium G840 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo E8600 scores 1,378 against the Pentium G840's 1,367 — a 0.8% lead for the Core 2 Duo E8600. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Core 2 Duo E8600 vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G840.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E8600 | Pentium G840 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.33 GHz+19% | 2.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.33 GHz+19% | 2.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB (total)+2300% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Wolfdale (2008−2010) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,378 | 1,367 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 486 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 885 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Duo E8600 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium G840 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E8600 | Pentium G840 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | LGA1155 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Core 2 Duo E8600) / not specified (Pentium G840). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo E8600 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Core 2 Duo E8600 rivals Phenom II X2 550.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E8600 | Pentium G840 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| IGPU Model | None | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Legacy Desktop | — |
Value Analysis
The Core 2 Duo E8600 launched at $200 MSRP, while the Pentium G840 debuted at $64. At current prices ($95 vs $15), the Pentium G840 is $80 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 2 Duo E8600 delivers 14.5 pts/$ vs 91.1 pts/$ for the Pentium G840 — making the Pentium G840 the 145.1% better value option.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E8600 | Pentium G840 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $200 | $64-68% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $95 | $15-84% |
| Performance per Dollar | 14.5 | 91.1+528% |
| Release Date | 2008 | 2011 |
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