Core 2 Duo SP9600 vs Core i3-4130T

Core 2 Duo SP9600

2 Cores2 Thrd6 WWMax: 2.53 GHz2009

Core i3-4130T

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.9 GHz2013

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core 2 Duo SP9600

2 / 2

2,836

0.0%

2,876

+1.4%

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 Core i3-4130T is on rank 723, so the Core 2 Duo SP9600 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 Core i3-4130T

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

13442%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

12701%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

9222%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

2778%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

2201%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

1925%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1103%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1088%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

991%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

991%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

980%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

953%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

940%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

936%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

928%

#723

Core i3-4130T

MSRP: $124|Avg: $10

100%

#724

Celeron E3300

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

100%

#725

Core i7-6700T

MSRP: $303|Avg: $60

100%

#726

Core i7-4790K

MSRP: $350|Avg: $93

99%

#727

Celeron E3400

MSRP: $53|Avg: $15

99%

#728

FX-4100

MSRP: $115|Avg: $20

99%

#729

Core i5-7440EQ

MSRP: $250|Avg: $30

98%

#730

Core i5-3350P

MSRP: $189|Avg: $25

98%

#732

Core i3-4350T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $20

98%

#733

Athlon II X4 641

MSRP: $102|Avg: $102

98%

#734

Athlon II X3 460

MSRP: $87|Avg: $15

97%

#735

Pentium G2100T

MSRP: $75|Avg: $10

97%

#736

Core i5-3330

MSRP: $182|Avg: $21

97%

#737

Core i3-4330T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $15

97%

#738

Pentium E5300

MSRP: $62|Avg: $25

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i3-4130T delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core 2 Duo SP9600 in both compute-intensive tasks (1.4% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core 2 Duo SP9600	Core i3-4130T
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($316)	✅ More affordable ($10)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core i3-4130T stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 97% cheaper ($10 vs $316) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core 2 Duo SP9600	Core i3-4130T
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+3105%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($316)	✅ More affordable ($10)

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

Core i3-4130T Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo SP9600 and Core i3-4130T

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.

Core i3-4130T

The Core i3-4130T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,876 points. Launch price was $270.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 2 Duo SP9600 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i3-4130T's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.53 GHz on the Core 2 Duo SP9600 versus 2.9 GHz on the Core i3-4130T — a 13.6% clock advantage for the Core i3-4130T (base: 2.53 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core 2 Duo SP9600 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-4130T uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo SP9600 scores 2,836 against the Core i3-4130T's 2,876 — a 1.4% lead for the Core i3-4130T. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo SP9600 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-4130T.

Feature	Core 2 Duo SP9600	Core i3-4130T
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.53 GHz	2.9 GHz+15%
Base Clock	2.53 GHz	2.9 GHz+15%
L3 Cache	6 MB L2 Cache+100%	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	6 MB+2300%	256 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	2,836	2,876+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	890

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo SP9600 uses the BGA479 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core i3-4130T uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 2 Duo SP9600	Core i3-4130T
Socket	BGA479	LGA1150
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 3.0+173%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	32 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	✅
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 2 Duo SP9600) / VT-x, EPT (Core i3-4130T). The Core i3-4130T includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4400), while the Core 2 Duo SP9600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-4130T targets Low Power Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i3-4130T rivals A8-7600.