Core 2 Duo T5900 vs Core 2 Duo SL9400

Core 2 Duo T5900

2 Cores2 Thrd2 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2008

Core 2 Duo SL9400

2 Cores2 Thrd6 WWMax: 1.86 GHz2008

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core 2 Duo T5900

2 / 2

2,123

0.0%

2,144

+1.0%

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 Core 2 Duo SL9400 is on rank 1147, so the Core 2 Duo T5900 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 T5900

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

138%

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

136%

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

125%

#10

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

124%

#11

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

123%

#13

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

119%

#14

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

114%

#15

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

114%

#16

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

111%

#19

Core 2 Duo T5900

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

100%

#22

Core i3-3130M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

90%

#23

Core 2 Duo T5550

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

86%

#24

Core 2 Duo T7100

MSRP: $197|Avg: $15

86%

#27

Pentium 2030M

MSRP: $134|Avg: N/A

82%

#28

Core 2 Duo T5750

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $8

82%

#29

Core 2 Duo T7200

MSRP: $286|Avg: $6

81%

#30

Core i5-3230M

MSRP: $225|Avg: $13

81%

#31

Atom D525

MSRP: $63|Avg: N/A

80%

#32

Atom x7835RE

MSRP: $127|Avg: N/A

80%

#33

Core 2 Duo P8400

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

78%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo SL9400

#1135

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3886%

#1136

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3829%

#1137

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3515%

#1138

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3499%

#1139

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3467%

#1141

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3348%

#1142

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

3211%

#1143

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

3205%

#1144

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

3119%

#1147

Core 2 Duo SL9400

MSRP: $284|Avg: N/A

100%

#1149

Pentium N3540

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

99%

#1150

Core i7-3555LE

MSRP: $300|Avg: $280

99%

#1151

Core i3-2377M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

98%

#1152

Core 2 Duo E8435

MSRP: $150|Avg: $74

97%

#1153

Celeron M 723

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

97%

#1154

Core M-5Y51

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

96%

#1155

Core i7-3517UE

MSRP: $330|Avg: $35

96%

#1156

Pentium N3530

MSRP: $161|Avg: $20

95%

#1157

Core i3-330E

MSRP: $177|Avg: $89

94%

#1159

Core i7-2640M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

94%

#1160

Core M-5Y71

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

93%

#1162

Core i7-2620M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core 2 Duo T5900 leads in gaming performance. However, the Core 2 Duo SL9400 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 1% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core 2 Duo T5900	Core 2 Duo SL9400
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($5)	⚠️ Higher cost ($284)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Merom (2006−2008) / 65 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core 2 Duo T5900 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 98% cheaper ($5 vs $284) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core 2 Duo T5900	Core 2 Duo SL9400
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+5524%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($5)	⚠️ Higher cost ($284)

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 T5900 Benchmark Check

Core 2 Duo SL9400 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo T5900 and Core 2 Duo SL9400

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.

Core 2 Duo SL9400

The Core 2 Duo SL9400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 August 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.86 GHz, with boost up to 1.86 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: BGA956. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,144 points. Launch price was $284.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo T5900 and Core 2 Duo SL9400 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T5900 versus 1.86 GHz on the Core 2 Duo SL9400 — a 16.7% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo T5900. The Core 2 Duo T5900 uses the Merom (2006−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Core 2 Duo SL9400 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T5900 scores 2,123 against the Core 2 Duo SL9400's 2,144 — a 1% lead for the Core 2 Duo SL9400.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T5900	Core 2 Duo SL9400
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz+18%	1.86 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.86 GHz
L3 Cache	—	6 MB L2 Cache
L2 Cache	2 MB	6 MB+200%
Process	65 nm	45 nm-31%
Architecture	Merom (2006−2008)	Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark	2,123	2,144

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo T5900 uses the P socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core 2 Duo SL9400 uses BGA956 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.