Core 2 Duo SP9400 vs Phenom II X4 830

Core 2 Duo SP9400 vs Phenom II X4 830 Performance Spectrum

Core 2 Duo SP9400

2 / 2

2,083

+0.5%

Pentium Extreme Edition 965

2,072

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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.

Core 2 Duo SP9400 vs Phenom II X4 830 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 SP9400 vs Phenom II X4 830: 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 SP9400

2008

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).
✅Draws 6W instead of 95W, a 89W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Phenom II X4 830

2009

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,072 vs 2,083).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 6 MB).
❌1483.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 6W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core 2 Duo SP9400 better than Phenom II X4 830?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Phenom II X4 830 is ahead with a 0.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core 2 Duo SP9400 pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark. Core 2 Duo SP9400 also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core 2 Duo SP9400 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Core 2 Duo SP9400 still makes the most sense overall. Core 2 Duo SP9400 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better PassMark.

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

Phenom II X4 830 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2009 vs 2008). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Core 2 Duo SP9400 vs Phenom II X4 830 Technical Specifications

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

Core 2 Duo SP9400

The Core 2 Duo SP9400 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 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 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: 2,083 points. Launch price was $284.

Phenom II X4 830

The Phenom II X4 830 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 September 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,072 points. Launch price was $80.

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Processing Power

The Core 2 Duo SP9400 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X4 830 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 830 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Core 2 Duo SP9400 versus 2.8 GHz on the Phenom II X4 830 — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 830 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core 2 Duo SP9400 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X4 830 uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo SP9400 scores 2,083 against the Phenom II X4 830's 2,072 — a 0.5% lead for the Core 2 Duo SP9400. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo SP9400 vs 4 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 830.

Feature	Core 2 Duo SP9400	Phenom II X4 830
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz	2.8 GHz+17%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	2.8 GHz+17%
L3 Cache	6 MB L2 Cache+50%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	6 MB+1100%	512 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Deneb (2009−2011)
PassMark	2,083	2,072
Geekbench 6 Single	340	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	600	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo SP9400 uses the BGA956 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Phenom II X4 830 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 2 Duo SP9400	Phenom II X4 830
Socket	BGA956	AM3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Core 2 Duo SP9400) / not specified (Phenom II X4 830). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo SP9400 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core 2 Duo SP9400 rivals Athlon II X2 245e.