Core 2 Duo SP9300
VS
Phenom II X2 N620

Core 2 Duo SP9300 vs Phenom II X2 N620

Intel

Core 2 Duo SP9300

2 Cores2 Thrd6 WWMax: 2.26 GHz2008
VS
AMD

Phenom II X2 N620

2 Cores2 Thrd2 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2010

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 SP9300 is positioned at rank 535 and the Phenom II X2 N620 is on rank 177, so the Phenom II X2 N620 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 SP9300

#169
Core i7-1280P
MSRP: $482|Avg: $482
99%
#523
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
699%
#524
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
689%
#525
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
633%
#526
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
630%
#527
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
624%
#529
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
603%
#530
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
578%
#531
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
577%
#532
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
561%
#535
Core 2 Duo SP9300
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#549
Celeron Dual-Core T1500
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $49
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X2 N620

#49
Core i9-12900HX
MSRP: $606|Avg: N/A
99%
#165
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
352%
#166
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
347%
#167
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
318%
#168
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
317%
#169
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
314%
#171
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
303%
#172
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
291%
#173
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
290%
#174
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
282%
#177
Phenom II X2 N620
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Phenom II X2 N620 leads in gaming performance. However, the Core 2 Duo SP9300 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.6% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightCore 2 Duo SP9300Phenom II X2 N620
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore 2 Duo SP9300Phenom II X2 N620
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo SP9300 and Phenom II X2 N620

Intel

Core 2 Duo SP9300

The Core 2 Duo SP9300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 August 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.26 GHz, with boost up to 2.26 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: BGA956. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,517 points. Launch price was $284.

AMD

Phenom II X2 N620

The Phenom II X2 N620 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.8 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,503 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo SP9300 and Phenom II X2 N620 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.26 GHz on the Core 2 Duo SP9300 versus 2.8 GHz on the Phenom II X2 N620 — a 21.3% clock advantage for the Phenom II X2 N620. The Core 2 Duo SP9300 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X2 N620 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo SP9300 scores 2,517 against the Phenom II X2 N620's 2,503 — a 0.6% lead for the Core 2 Duo SP9300.

FeatureCore 2 Duo SP9300Phenom II X2 N620
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 2
Boost Clock
2.26 GHz
2.8 GHz+24%
Base Clock
2.26 GHz
L3 Cache
6 MB L2 Cache
L2 Cache
6 MB+200%
2 MB
Process
45 nm
45 nm
Architecture
Penryn (2008−2011)
Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark
2,517
2,503
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo SP9300 uses the BGA956 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Phenom II X2 N620 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore 2 Duo SP9300Phenom II X2 N620
Socket
BGA956
S1
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
0
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Core 2 Duo SP9300) / not specified (Phenom II X2 N620).

FeatureCore 2 Duo SP9300Phenom II X2 N620
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x