Core 2 Duo SP9600 vs Atom Z3735G

Core 2 Duo SP9600

2 Cores2 Thrd6 WWMax: 2.53 GHz2009

Atom Z3735G

4 Cores4 Thrd2 WWMax: 1.83 GHz2014

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core 2 Duo SP9600

2 / 2

2,836

0.0%

2,891

+1.9%

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 SP9600 is positioned at rank 138 and the Atom Z3735G is on rank 5, so the Atom Z3735G 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 SP9600

#36

Core i5-11500B

MSRP: $185|Avg: $185

98%

#126

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

310%

#127

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

306%

#128

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

281%

#129

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

279%

#130

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

277%

#132

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

267%

#133

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

256%

#134

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

256%

#135

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

249%

#138

Core 2 Duo SP9600

MSRP: $316|Avg: N/A

100%

#140

Core 2 Duo P8700

MSRP: $241|Avg: $85

99%

#147

Atom N2800

MSRP: $47|Avg: $3

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Atom Z3735G

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

101%

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

100%

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

92%

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

91%

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

91%

#10

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

87%

#11

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

84%

#12

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

84%

#13

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

81%

#17

Core i3-350M

MSRP: $130|Avg: $10

75%

#18

Atom x5-E8000

MSRP: $18|Avg: N/A

74%

#19

Core 2 Duo T5900

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

73%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core 2 Duo SP9600 leads in gaming performance. However, the Atom Z3735G is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 1.9% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core 2 Duo SP9600	Atom Z3735G
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($316)	✅ More affordable ($17)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-T (2013−2014) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Atom Z3735G stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 95% cheaper ($17 vs $316) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core 2 Duo SP9600	Atom Z3735G
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+1795%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($316)	✅ More affordable ($17)

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 SP9600 Benchmark Check

Atom Z3735G Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo SP9600 and Atom Z3735G

Core 2 Duo SP9600

The Core 2 Duo SP9600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 2.53 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: BGA479. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,836 points. Launch price was $316.

Atom Z3735G

The Atom Z3735G is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-T (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.33 GHz, with boost up to 1.83 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: UTFCBGA592. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,891 points. Launch price was $17.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 2 Duo SP9600 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Atom Z3735G offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Atom Z3735G has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.53 GHz on the Core 2 Duo SP9600 versus 1.83 GHz on the Atom Z3735G — a 32.1% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo SP9600 (base: 2.53 GHz vs 1.33 GHz). The Core 2 Duo SP9600 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Atom Z3735G uses Bay Trail-T (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo SP9600 scores 2,836 against the Atom Z3735G's 2,891 — a 1.9% lead for the Atom Z3735G. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo SP9600 vs 2 MB L2 Cache on the Atom Z3735G.

Feature	Core 2 Duo SP9600	Atom Z3735G
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.53 GHz+38%	1.83 GHz
Base Clock	2.53 GHz+90%	1.33 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB L2 Cache+200%	2 MB L2 Cache
L2 Cache	6 MB+200%	2 MB
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Bay Trail-T (2013−2014)
PassMark	2,836	2,891+2%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo SP9600 uses the BGA479 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Atom Z3735G uses UTFCBGA592 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 2 Duo SP9600	Atom Z3735G
Socket	BGA479	UTFCBGA592
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3L-RS 1333
Max RAM Capacity	—	1 GB
RAM Channels	—	1
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	0