Core 2 Duo P9600 vs Core i7-620UM

Core 2 Duo P9600

2 Cores2 Thrd6 WWMax: 2.66 GHz2009

Core i7-620UM

2 Cores4 Thrd18 WWMax: 2.13 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core 2 Duo P9600

2 / 2

1,093

+0.2%

1,091

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 P9600 is positioned at rank 609 and the Core i7-620UM is on rank 1228, so the Core 2 Duo P9600 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 P9600

#185

Ryzen 7 5825C

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

100%

#597

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

805%

#598

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

794%

#599

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

729%

#600

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

725%

#601

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

719%

#603

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

694%

#604

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

665%

#605

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

664%

#606

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

646%

#609

Core 2 Duo P9600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#622

Athlon II P320

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-620UM

#1216

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

7485%

#1217

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

7375%

#1218

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

6770%

#1219

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

6740%

#1220

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

6678%

#1222

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

6449%

#1223

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

6184%

#1224

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

6173%

#1225

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

6008%

#1228

Core i7-620UM

MSRP: $278|Avg: N/A

100%

#1230

Celeron 570

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

96%

#1231

Core i7-820QM

MSRP: $546|Avg: N/A

85%

#1233

Core Duo T2700

MSRP: $663|Avg: N/A

72%

#1235

Pentium SU4100

MSRP: $289|Avg: $15

60%

#1236

Core Solo T1400

MSRP: $200|Avg: $5

55%

#1237

Core i7-940XM

MSRP: $1096|Avg: N/A

53%

#1238

Core Solo T1350

MSRP: $200|Avg: $70

52%

#1240

Core Solo T1300

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

47%

#1241

Core Solo T1200

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

43%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core 2 Duo P9600 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i7-620UM in both compute-intensive tasks (0.2% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core 2 Duo P9600	Core i7-620UM
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($278)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core 2 Duo P9600	Core i7-620UM
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($278)

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 P9600 Benchmark Check

Core i7-620UM Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo P9600 and Core i7-620UM

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.

Core i7-620UM

The Core i7-620UM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.06 GHz, with boost up to 2.13 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800. Passmark benchmark score: 1,091 points. Launch price was $278.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 2 Duo P9600 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i7-620UM's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.66 GHz on the Core 2 Duo P9600 versus 2.13 GHz on the Core i7-620UM — a 22.1% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo P9600 (base: 2.66 GHz vs 1.06 GHz). The Core 2 Duo P9600 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i7-620UM uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo P9600 scores 1,093 against the Core i7-620UM's 1,091 — a 0.2% lead for the Core 2 Duo P9600. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo P9600 vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-620UM.

Feature	Core 2 Duo P9600	Core i7-620UM
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.66 GHz+25%	2.13 GHz
Base Clock	2.66 GHz+151%	1.06 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB L2 Cache+50%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	6 MB+2300%	256 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,093	1,091
Geekbench 6 Single	—	350
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	700

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo P9600 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core i7-620UM uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 2 Duo P9600	Core i7-620UM
Socket	PGA478	BGA1288
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1066
Max RAM Capacity	—	8 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 2 Duo P9600) / VT-x (Core i7-620UM). The Core i7-620UM includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Ironlake)), while the Core 2 Duo P9600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-620UM targets Ultra-Portable Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i7-620UM rivals Core 2 Duo SU9600.