Core 2 Duo P9600 vs Pentium E5700

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 P9600 vs Pentium E5700 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 P9600 vs Pentium E5700: 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 P9600

2009

Why buy it

✅Draws 6W instead of 65W, a 59W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,093 vs 1,096).

Pentium E5700

2010

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $75 MSRP, while Core 2 Duo P9600 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌983.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 6W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium E5700 better than Core 2 Duo P9600?

Yes. Pentium E5700 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.3% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium E5700 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.8% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium E5700 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium E5700 is the better buy right now. Pentium E5700 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $75 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (14.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium E5700 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core 2 Duo P9600 vs Pentium E5700 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Pentium E5700

The Pentium E5700 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 August 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,096 points. Launch price was $110.

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Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo P9600 and Pentium E5700 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.66 GHz on the Core 2 Duo P9600 versus 3 GHz on the Pentium E5700 — a 12% clock advantage for the Pentium E5700 (base: 2.66 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core 2 Duo P9600 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium E5700 uses Wolfdale (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo P9600 scores 1,093 against the Pentium E5700's 1,096 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium E5700. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo P9600 vs 0 kB on the Pentium E5700.

Feature	Core 2 Duo P9600	Pentium E5700
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.66 GHz	3 GHz+13%
Base Clock	2.66 GHz	3 GHz+13%
L3 Cache	6 MB L2 Cache	0 kB
L2 Cache	6 MB+200%	2 MB (total)
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Wolfdale (2008−2010)
PassMark	1,093	1,096

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo P9600 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium E5700 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.