Core 2 Duo SU9400 vs Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85

Core 2 Duo SU9400 vs Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 Performance Spectrum

Core 2 Duo SU9400

2 / 2

1,596

+0.7%

Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85

2 / 2

1,585

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

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 SU9400 vs Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 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 SU9400 vs Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85: 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 SU9400

2008

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌50% higher power demand at 3W vs 2W.

Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85

2008

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 3W, a 1W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,585 vs 1,596).

Quick Answers

So, is Core 2 Duo SU9400 better than Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 is ahead with a 2.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core 2 Duo SU9400 pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core 2 Duo SU9400 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Core 2 Duo SU9400 still makes the most sense overall. Core 2 Duo SU9400 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% better PassMark.

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

Core 2 Duo SU9400 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core 2 Duo SU9400 vs Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 Technical Specifications

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

Core 2 Duo SU9400

The Core 2 Duo SU9400 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 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 1.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 3 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: BGA956. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,596 points. Launch price was $262.

Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85

The Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Puma (2008−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1g2. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,585 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo SU9400 and Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.4 GHz on the Core 2 Duo SU9400 versus 2.3 GHz on the Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 — a 48.6% clock advantage for the Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85. The Core 2 Duo SU9400 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 uses Puma (2008−2009) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo SU9400 scores 1,596 against the Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85's 1,585 — a 0.7% lead for the Core 2 Duo SU9400. L3 cache: 3 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo SU9400 vs 0 kB on the Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85.

Feature	Core 2 Duo SU9400	Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.4 GHz	2.3 GHz+64%
Base Clock	1.4 GHz	—
L3 Cache	3 MB L2 Cache	0 kB
L2 Cache	3 MB+50%	2 MB
Process	45 nm-31%	65 nm
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Puma (2008−2009)
PassMark	1,596	1,585

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo SU9400 uses the BGA956 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 uses S1g2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.