Core 2 Duo T5900 vs Athlon II X4 631
Core 2 Duo T5900
Athlon II X4 631
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 T5900 is positioned at rank 19 and the Athlon II X4 631 is on rank 651, so the Core 2 Duo T5900 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 T5900
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X4 631
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Duo T5900 | Athlon II X4 631 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($5) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Merom (2006−2008) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Duo T5900 | Athlon II X4 631 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+201%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($5) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
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 T5900 and Athlon II X4 631
Core 2 Duo T5900
The Core 2 Duo T5900 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: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: P. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 2,123 points. Launch price was $249.
Athlon II X4 631
The Athlon II X4 631 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 100 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,118 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core 2 Duo T5900 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Athlon II X4 631 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 631 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T5900 versus 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X4 631 — a 16.7% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 631. The Core 2 Duo T5900 uses the Merom (2006−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Athlon II X4 631 uses Llano (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T5900 scores 2,123 against the Athlon II X4 631's 2,118 — a 0.2% lead for the Core 2 Duo T5900.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T5900 | Athlon II X4 631 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz | 2.6 GHz+18% |
| Base Clock | — | 2.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+100% | 1 MB (per core) |
| Process | 65 nm | 32 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Merom (2006−2008) | Llano (2011−2012) |
| PassMark | 2,123 | 2,118 |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Duo T5900 uses the P socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon II X4 631 uses FM1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T5900 | Athlon II X4 631 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | P | FM1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Value Analysis
At current prices ($5 vs $15), the Core 2 Duo T5900 is $10 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 2 Duo T5900 delivers 424.6 pts/$ vs 141.2 pts/$ for the Athlon II X4 631 — making the Core 2 Duo T5900 the 100.2% better value option.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T5900 | Athlon II X4 631 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | — | $80 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $5-67% | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 424.6+201% | 141.2 |
| Release Date | 2008 | 2011 |
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