Core 2 Duo P8700 vs Core i7-5550U

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 P8700 vs Core i7-5550U 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 P8700 vs Core i7-5550U: 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 P8700

2009

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 3W instead of 512W, a 509W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-5550U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 4 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $241 MSRP, while Core i7-5550U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i7-5550U

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,780 vs 2,805).
❌16966.7% higher power demand at 512W vs 3W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core 2 Duo P8700 better than Core i7-5550U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-5550U is ahead with a 3.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core 2 Duo P8700 pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark. Core i7-5550U also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core 2 Duo P8700 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Core 2 Duo P8700 is the better buy right now. Core 2 Duo P8700 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $241 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.9% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i7-5550U is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 3.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (11.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core i7-5550U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2009) and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Core 2 Duo P8700 vs Core i7-5550U Technical Specifications

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

Core 2 Duo P8700

The Core 2 Duo P8700 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 2.53 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 3 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,805 points. Launch price was $209.

Core i7-5550U

The Core i7-5550U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,780 points. Launch price was $426.

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Processing Power

The Core 2 Duo P8700 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i7-5550U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.53 GHz on the Core 2 Duo P8700 versus 3 GHz on the Core i7-5550U — a 17% clock advantage for the Core i7-5550U (base: 2.53 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core 2 Duo P8700 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i7-5550U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo P8700 scores 2,805 against the Core i7-5550U's 2,780 — a 0.9% lead for the Core 2 Duo P8700. L3 cache: 3 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo P8700 vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-5550U.

Feature	Core 2 Duo P8700	Core i7-5550U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.53 GHz	3 GHz+19%
Base Clock	2.53 GHz+26%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB L2 Cache	4 MB (total)+33%
L2 Cache	3 MB	256K (per core)+8433%
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark	2,805	2,780

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo P8700 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core i7-5550U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.