Core 2 Duo T5600 vs Phenom II X4 N930
Core 2 Duo T5600
Phenom II X4 N930
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 T5600 is positioned at rank 1179 and the Phenom II X4 N930 is on rank 422, so the Phenom II X4 N930 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo T5600
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X4 N930
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Duo T5600 | Phenom II X4 N930 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($241) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Merom (2006−2008) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Duo T5600 | Phenom II X4 N930 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($241) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo T5600 and Phenom II X4 N930
Core 2 Duo T5600
The Core 2 Duo T5600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 28 July 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the Merom (2006−2008) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.83 GHz, with boost up to 1.83 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: 1,560 points. Launch price was $241.
Phenom II X4 N930
The Phenom II X4 N930 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,558 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core 2 Duo T5600 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X4 N930 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 N930 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.83 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T5600 versus 2 GHz on the Phenom II X4 N930 — a 8.9% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 N930. The Core 2 Duo T5600 uses the Merom (2006−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Phenom II X4 N930 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T5600 scores 1,560 against the Phenom II X4 N930's 1,558 — a 0.1% lead for the Core 2 Duo T5600.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T5600 | Phenom II X4 N930 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 1.83 GHz | 2 GHz+9% |
| Base Clock | 1.83 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 2 MB |
| Process | 65 nm | 45 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Merom (2006−2008) | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,560 | 1,558 |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Duo T5600 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Phenom II X4 N930 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T5600 | Phenom II X4 N930 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-667 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 4 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
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