Core 2 Duo T6600 vs Pentium Gold 5405U

Core 2 Duo T6600

2 Cores2 Thrd2 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2009

Pentium Gold 5405U

2 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2019

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core 2 Duo T6600

2 / 2

2,355

0.0%

2,357

+0.1%

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 T6600 is positioned at rank 13 and the Pentium Gold 5405U is on rank 476, so the Core 2 Duo T6600 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 T6600

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

125%

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

123%

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

113%

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

112%

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

111%

#10

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

107%

#11

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

103%

#12

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

103%

#13

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

100%

#17

Core i3-350M

MSRP: $130|Avg: $10

92%

#18

Atom x5-E8000

MSRP: $18|Avg: N/A

91%

#19

Core 2 Duo T5900

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

90%

#22

Core i3-3130M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

81%

#23

Core 2 Duo T5550

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

78%

#24

Core 2 Duo T7100

MSRP: $197|Avg: $15

77%

#27

Pentium 2030M

MSRP: $134|Avg: N/A

74%

#28

Core 2 Duo T5750

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $8

74%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 5405U

#464

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

622%

#465

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

613%

#466

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

563%

#467

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

560%

#468

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

555%

#470

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

536%

#471

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

514%

#472

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

513%

#473

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

500%

#476

Pentium Gold 5405U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#488

Processor U300

MSRP: $193|Avg: $180

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Pentium Gold 5405U (2019) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR3, DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Core 2 Duo T6600	Pentium Gold 5405U
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($4)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)	✨ Modern (Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core 2 Duo T6600 (2009) relies on 45 nm technology and older memory, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Core 2 Duo T6600	Pentium Gold 5405U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($4)	✅ 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 T6600 Benchmark Check

Pentium Gold 5405U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo T6600 and Pentium Gold 5405U

Core 2 Duo T6600

The Core 2 Duo T6600 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 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 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: 2,355 points. Launch price was $249.

Pentium Gold 5405U

The Pentium Gold 5405U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 January 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,357 points. Launch price was $161.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 2 Duo T6600 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Pentium Gold 5405U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T6600 versus 2.3 GHz on the Pentium Gold 5405U — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Pentium Gold 5405U (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Core 2 Duo T6600 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium Gold 5405U uses Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T6600 scores 2,355 against the Pentium Gold 5405U's 2,357 — a 0.1% lead for the Pentium Gold 5405U. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T6600 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium Gold 5405U.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T6600	Pentium Gold 5405U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz	2.3 GHz+5%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	2.3 GHz+5%
L3 Cache	2 MB L2 Cache	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB+700%	256 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019)
PassMark	2,355	2,357
Geekbench 6 Single	200	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	350	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo T6600 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium Gold 5405U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T6600	Pentium Gold 5405U
Socket	PGA478	FCBGA1528
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 3.0+173%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-800	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Core 2 Duo T6600) / not specified (Pentium Gold 5405U). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo T6600 targets Legacy Laptop.