Core 2 Duo SP9600 vs Core i5-4200M

Core 2 Duo SP9600

2 Cores2 Thrd6 WWMax: 2.53 GHz2009

Core i5-4200M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2013

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core 2 Duo SP9600

2 / 2

2,836

+1.0%

2,809

0.0%

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 i5-4200M is on rank 1025, 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 i5-4200M

#1013

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2351%

#1014

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2317%

#1015

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2127%

#1016

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2117%

#1017

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2098%

#1019

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2026%

#1020

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1942%

#1021

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1939%

#1022

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1887%

#1025

Core i5-4200M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

100%

#1026

Celeron 1000M

MSRP: $86|Avg: N/A

100%

#1028

Celeron B840

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

99%

#1029

Celeron M 743

MSRP: $107|Avg: $15

99%

#1030

Core i7-3612QM

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

99%

#1031

Pentium 967

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

98%

#1032

Core i5-4400E

MSRP: $266|Avg: $50

98%

#1034

Pentium Dual Core T4400

MSRP: $107|Avg: $5

96%

#1037

Core i7-8665UE

MSRP: $409|Avg: $409

95%

#1038

Celeron T3300

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

94%

#1039

Celeron Dual-Core T3300

MSRP: $86|Avg: $30

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i5-4200M leads in gaming performance. However, the Core 2 Duo SP9600 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 1% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core 2 Duo SP9600	Core i5-4200M
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($316)	✅ More affordable ($225)
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 i5-4200M stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 29% cheaper ($225 vs $316) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core 2 Duo SP9600	Core i5-4200M
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+39%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($316)	✅ More affordable ($225)

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 i5-4200M Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo SP9600 and Core i5-4200M

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 i5-4200M

The Core i5-4200M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA946. Thermal design power (TDP): 37 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,809 points. Launch price was $225.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 2 Duo SP9600 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i5-4200M's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.53 GHz on the Core 2 Duo SP9600 versus 3.1 GHz on the Core i5-4200M — a 20.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-4200M (base: 2.53 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core 2 Duo SP9600 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-4200M uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo SP9600 scores 2,836 against the Core i5-4200M's 2,809 — a 1% lead for the Core 2 Duo SP9600. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo SP9600 vs 3 MB on the Core i5-4200M.

Feature	Core 2 Duo SP9600	Core i5-4200M
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.53 GHz	3.1 GHz+23%
Base Clock	2.53 GHz+1%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB L2 Cache+100%	3 MB
L2 Cache	6 MB+1100%	512 kB
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	2,836	2,809

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo SP9600 uses the BGA479 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core i5-4200M uses PGA946 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 2 Duo SP9600	Core i5-4200M
Socket	BGA479	PGA946
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 3.0+173%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3L-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, VT-d (Core i5-4200M). The Core i5-4200M includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4600), while the Core 2 Duo SP9600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4200M targets Mobile.