
Core 2 Duo P9600 vs Celeron G1101

Core 2 Duo P9600

Celeron G1101
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 P9600 is positioned at rank 609 and the Celeron G1101 is on rank 755, so the Core 2 Duo P9600 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 P9600
Performance Per Dollar Celeron G1101
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Duo P9600 | Celeron G1101 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Clarkdale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Duo P9600 | Celeron G1101 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
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 P9600 and Celeron G1101

Core 2 Duo P9600
The Core 2 Duo P9600 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 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,093 points. Launch price was $348.

Celeron G1101
The Celeron G1101 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.26 GHz, with boost up to 0.27 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 73 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,086 points. Launch price was $85.
Processing Power
Both the Core 2 Duo P9600 and Celeron G1101 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.66 GHz on the Core 2 Duo P9600 versus 0.27 GHz on the Celeron G1101 — a 163.1% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo P9600 (base: 2.66 GHz vs 2.26 GHz). The Core 2 Duo P9600 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron G1101 uses Clarkdale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo P9600 scores 1,093 against the Celeron G1101's 1,086 — a 0.6% lead for the Core 2 Duo P9600. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo P9600 vs 2 MB (total) on the Celeron G1101.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo P9600 | Celeron G1101 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.66 GHz+885% | 0.27 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.66 GHz+18% | 2.26 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB L2 Cache+200% | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB+2300% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Penryn (2008−2011) | Clarkdale (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,093 | 1,086 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 250 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 450 |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Duo P9600 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Celeron G1101 uses LGA1156 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo P9600 | Celeron G1101 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | LGA1156 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16.38 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core 2 Duo P9600) / VT-x (Celeron G1101). The Celeron G1101 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Westmere)), while the Core 2 Duo P9600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron G1101 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Celeron G1101 rivals Pentium G6950.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo P9600 | Celeron G1101 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics (Westmere) |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x |
| Target Use | — | Desktop |
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