Core 2 Duo T5800 vs Pentium G3250

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 T5800 vs Pentium G3250 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 T5800 vs Pentium G3250: 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 T5800

2008

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 54W, a 52W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,000 vs 2,010).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 3 MB).

Pentium G3250

2014

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 2 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $171 MSRP, while Core 2 Duo T5800 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2600% higher power demand at 54W vs 2W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium G3250 better than Core 2 Duo T5800?

Yes. Pentium G3250 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.6% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.5% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium G3250 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.6% more average FPS across 47 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium G3250 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 2 MB).

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

Pentium G3250 is the better buy right now. Pentium G3250 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $171 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.6% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (11.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium G3250 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2008), 50% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 2 MB), and 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 T5800 vs Pentium G3250 Technical Specifications

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

Core 2 Duo T5800

The Core 2 Duo T5800 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 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,000 points. Launch price was $249.

Pentium G3250

The Pentium G3250 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 July 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 53 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,010 points. Launch price was $171.

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Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo T5800 and Pentium G3250 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T5800 versus 3.2 GHz on the Pentium G3250 — a 46.2% clock advantage for the Pentium G3250 (base: 2 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core 2 Duo T5800 uses the Merom (2006−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium G3250 uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T5800 scores 2,000 against the Pentium G3250's 2,010 — a 0.5% lead for the Pentium G3250. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T5800 vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G3250.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T5800	Pentium G3250
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2 GHz	3.2 GHz+60%
Base Clock	2 GHz	3.2 GHz+60%
L3 Cache	2 MB L2 Cache	3 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	2 MB+700%	256 kB (per core)
Process	65 nm	22 nm-66%
Architecture	Merom (2006−2008)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	2,000	2,010

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo T5800 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium G3250 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.