Core 2 Duo T5850 vs Core i5-3437U

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 T5850 is positioned at rank 245 and the Core i5-3437U is on rank 164, so the Core i5-3437U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo T5850

#64

Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

100%

#233

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

407%

#234

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

401%

#235

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

368%

#236

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

367%

#237

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

363%

#239

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

351%

#240

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

337%

#241

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

336%

#242

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

327%

#245

Core 2 Duo T5850

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-3437U

#152

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

339%

#153

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

334%

#154

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

306%

#155

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

305%

#156

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

302%

#158

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

292%

#159

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

280%

#160

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

279%

#161

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

272%

#164

Core i5-3437U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#173

Celeron N3060

MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A

97%

#176

Core 2 Duo T9300

MSRP: $316|Avg: $20

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-3437U delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core 2 Duo T5850 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.2% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core 2 Duo T5850	Core i5-3437U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Merom (2006−2008) / 65 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core 2 Duo T5850	Core i5-3437U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Core 2 Duo T5850 Benchmark Check

Core i5-3437U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo T5850 and Core i5-3437U

Core 2 Duo T5850

The Core 2 Duo T5850 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. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 2,161 points. Launch price was $249.

Core i5-3437U

The Core i5-3437U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,166 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 2 Duo T5850 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i5-3437U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T5850 versus 2.9 GHz on the Core i5-3437U — a 32% clock advantage for the Core i5-3437U. The Core 2 Duo T5850 uses the Merom (2006−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Core i5-3437U uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T5850 scores 2,161 against the Core i5-3437U's 2,166 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i5-3437U.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T5850	Core i5-3437U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.1 GHz	2.9 GHz+38%
Base Clock	—	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	—	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB+700%	256K (per core)
Process	65 nm	22 nm-66%
Architecture	Merom (2006−2008)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	2,161	2,166
Geekbench 6 Single	—	440
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,080

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 2 Duo T5850) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-3437U). The Core i5-3437U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Core 2 Duo T5850 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-3437U targets Business Ultrabook. Direct competitor: Core i5-3437U rivals AMD A8-4555M.