Core 2 Duo T6400 vs Pentium G3430

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 T6400 vs Pentium G3430 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 T6400 vs Pentium G3430: 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 T6400

2009

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 54W, a 52W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Pentium G3430 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,115 vs 2,127).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 3 MB).

Pentium G3430

2013

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 2 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $116 MSRP, while Core 2 Duo T6400 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2600% higher power demand at 54W vs 2W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium G3430 better than Core 2 Duo T6400?

Yes. Pentium G3430 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 3.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.6% 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, Pentium G3430 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 3.0% 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, Pentium G3430 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 2 MB).

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

Pentium G3430 is the better buy right now. Pentium G3430 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $116 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (18.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium G3430 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2009), 50% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 2 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 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 T6400 vs Pentium G3430 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core 2 Duo T6400

The Core 2 Duo T6400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) 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 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,115 points. Launch price was $249.

Pentium G3430

The Pentium G3430 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 53 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,127 points. Launch price was $116.

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Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo T6400 and Pentium G3430 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T6400 versus 3.3 GHz on the Pentium G3430 — a 49.1% clock advantage for the Pentium G3430 (base: 2 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core 2 Duo T6400 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium G3430 uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T6400 scores 2,115 against the Pentium G3430's 2,127 — a 0.6% lead for the Pentium G3430. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T6400 vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G3430.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T6400	Pentium G3430
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2 GHz	3.3 GHz+65%
Base Clock	2 GHz	3.3 GHz+65%
L3 Cache	2 MB L2 Cache	3 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	2 MB+700%	256 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	2,115	2,127
Geekbench 6 Single	650	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,300	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo T6400 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium G3430 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.