Core 2 Duo T5900 vs Core i7-3517U

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 i7-3517U is on rank 340, 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

#7

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

138%

#8

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

136%

#9

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 i7-3517U

#101

Core i5-1350P

MSRP: $320|Avg: $250

97%

#328

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

487%

#329

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

480%

#330

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

441%

#331

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

439%

#332

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

435%

#334

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

420%

#335

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

402%

#336

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

402%

#337

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

391%

#340

Core i7-3517U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i7-3517U leads in gaming performance. However, the Core 2 Duo T5900 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.7% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core 2 Duo T5900	Core i7-3517U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($5)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Merom (2006−2008) / 65 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core 2 Duo T5900	Core i7-3517U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($5)	✅ More affordable ($0)

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 i7-3517U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo T5900 and Core i7-3517U

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 i7-3517U

The Core i7-3517U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 June 2012 (13 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 3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3/L/-RS 1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 2,108 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 2 Duo T5900 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i7-3517U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T5900 versus 3 GHz on the Core i7-3517U — a 30.8% clock advantage for the Core i7-3517U. The Core 2 Duo T5900 uses the Merom (2006−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Core i7-3517U uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T5900 scores 2,123 against the Core i7-3517U's 2,108 — a 0.7% lead for the Core 2 Duo T5900.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T5900	Core i7-3517U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz	3 GHz+36%
Base Clock	—	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	—	4 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	2,123	2,108

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo T5900 uses the P socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core i7-3517U uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T5900	Core i7-3517U
Socket	P	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 3.0+173%
Max RAM Speed	—	1600
Max RAM Capacity	—	32
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 2 Duo T5900) / true (Core i7-3517U). The Core i7-3517U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Core 2 Duo T5900 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-3517U rivals AMD A10-4655M.