Core 2 Duo T5500 vs Pentium G3220T

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 T5500 vs Pentium G3220T 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 T5500 vs Pentium G3220T: 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 T5500

2007

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 2W instead of 35W, a 33W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Pentium G3220T

2013

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core 2 Duo T5500 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,649 vs 1,660).
❌Launch MSRP is still $54 MSRP, while Core 2 Duo T5500 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1650% higher power demand at 35W vs 2W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core 2 Duo T5500 better than Pentium G3220T?

Yes. Core 2 Duo T5500 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 3.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.7% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core 2 Duo T5500 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 3.2% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core 2 Duo T5500 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 T5500 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Core 2 Duo T5500 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $54 MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium G3220T only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2013 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (30.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1150.

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

Pentium G3220T makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2007). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Core 2 Duo T5500 vs Pentium G3220T Technical Specifications

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

Core 2 Duo T5500

The Core 2 Duo T5500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Merom (2006−2008) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.66 GHz, with boost up to 1.66 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 34 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,660 points. Launch price was $249.

Pentium G3220T

The Pentium G3220T 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 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 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: 1,649 points. Launch price was $40.

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Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo T5500 and Pentium G3220T share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.66 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T5500 versus 2.6 GHz on the Pentium G3220T — a 44.1% clock advantage for the Pentium G3220T (base: 1.66 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core 2 Duo T5500 uses the Merom (2006−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium G3220T uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T5500 scores 1,660 against the Pentium G3220T's 1,649 — a 0.7% lead for the Core 2 Duo T5500. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Core 2 Duo T5500 vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G3220T.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T5500	Pentium G3220T
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.66 GHz	2.6 GHz+57%
Base Clock	1.66 GHz	2.6 GHz+57%
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB+700%	256 kB (per core)
Process	65 nm	22 nm-66%
Architecture	Merom (2006−2008)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,660	1,649

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo T5500 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium G3220T uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.