Core 2 Duo T5800 vs Phenom II X4 905e

Core 2 Duo T5800 vs Phenom II X4 905e Performance Spectrum

Core 2 Duo T5800

2 / 2

2,000

0.0%

Core 2 Extreme X6800

Processor N50

Celeron G1830

Pentium Dual Core T2390

2,014

+0.7%

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 T5800 vs Phenom II X4 905e 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 Phenom II X4 905e: 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 65W, a 63W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,000 vs 2,014).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 6 MB).

Phenom II X4 905e

2009

Why buy it

✅+200% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 2 MB).

Trade-offs

❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.

Quick Answers

So, is Phenom II X4 905e better than Core 2 Duo T5800?

Yes. Phenom II X4 905e is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.7% 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, Phenom II X4 905e is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.1% 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, Phenom II X4 905e is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 2 MB).

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

Phenom II X4 905e still makes the most sense overall. Phenom II X4 905e comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Phenom II X4 905e makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2009 vs 2008), 200% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 2 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 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 Phenom II X4 905e 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.

Phenom II X4 905e

The Phenom II X4 905e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 June 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,014 points. Launch price was $212.

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Processing Power

The Core 2 Duo T5800 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X4 905e offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 905e has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T5800 versus 2.5 GHz on the Phenom II X4 905e — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 905e (base: 2 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core 2 Duo T5800 uses the Merom (2006−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Phenom II X4 905e uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T5800 scores 2,000 against the Phenom II X4 905e's 2,014 — a 0.7% lead for the Phenom II X4 905e. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T5800 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 905e.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T5800	Phenom II X4 905e
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2 GHz	2.5 GHz+25%
Base Clock	2 GHz	2.5 GHz+25%
L3 Cache	2 MB L2 Cache	6 MB (total)+200%
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	512 kB (per core)
Process	65 nm	45 nm-31%
Architecture	Merom (2006−2008)	Deneb (2009−2011)
PassMark	2,000	2,014

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo T5800 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Phenom II X4 905e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.