Core 2 Duo T7400 vs Turion II M500

Core 2 Duo T7400 vs Turion II M500 Performance Spectrum

Core 2 Duo T7400

2 / 2

1,861

0.0%

1,865

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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.

Core 2 Duo T7400 vs Turion II M500 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 T7400 vs Turion II M500: 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 T7400

2006

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,861 vs 1,865).
❌300% higher power demand at 4W vs 1W.

Turion II M500

2009

Why buy it

✅Draws 1W instead of 4W, a 3W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Turion II M500 better than Core 2 Duo T7400?

Yes. Turion II M500 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.2% 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, Turion II M500 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.0% 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, Turion II M500 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Turion II M500 still makes the most sense overall. Turion II M500 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

Turion II M500 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2009 vs 2006) 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 T7400 vs Turion II M500 Technical Specifications

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

Core 2 Duo T7400

The Core 2 Duo T7400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 28 August 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the Merom (2006−2008) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.16 GHz, with boost up to 2.16 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 34 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,861 points. Launch price was $286.

Turion II M500

The Turion II M500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Caspian (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g3. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,865 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo T7400 and Turion II M500 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.16 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T7400 versus 2.2 GHz on the Turion II M500 — a 1.8% clock advantage for the Turion II M500. The Core 2 Duo T7400 uses the Merom (2006−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Turion II M500 uses Caspian (2009) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T7400 scores 1,861 against the Turion II M500's 1,865 — a 0.2% lead for the Turion II M500.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T7400	Turion II M500
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.16 GHz	2.2 GHz+2%
Base Clock	2.16 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	—
L2 Cache	4 MB+300%	1 MB
Process	65 nm	45 nm-31%
Architecture	Merom (2006−2008)	Caspian (2009)
PassMark	1,861	1,865
Geekbench 6 Single	310	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	550	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo T7400 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Turion II M500 uses S1g3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.