Core 2 Duo T8300 vs Pentium 987

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 T8300 vs Pentium 987 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 T8300 vs Pentium 987: 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 T8300

2008

Why buy it

✅+50% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 2 MB).
✅Draws 3W instead of 17W, a 14W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,472 vs 1,487).

Pentium 987

2013

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (2 MB vs 3 MB).
❌Launch MSRP is still $134 MSRP, while Core 2 Duo T8300 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌466.7% higher power demand at 17W vs 3W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium 987 better than Core 2 Duo T8300?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core 2 Duo T8300 is ahead with a 0.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 987 pulls ahead with 1% better PassMark. Core 2 Duo T8300 also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (3 MB vs 2 MB).

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 987 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium 987 is the better buy right now. Pentium 987 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $134 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core 2 Duo T8300 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (11.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 987 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2008) 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 T8300 vs Pentium 987 Technical Specifications

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

Core 2 Duo T8300

The Core 2 Duo T8300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 January 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 3 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,472 points. Launch price was $241.

Pentium 987

The Pentium 987 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,487 points. Launch price was $134.

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Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo T8300 and Pentium 987 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T8300 versus 1.5 GHz on the Pentium 987 — a 46.2% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo T8300 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Core 2 Duo T8300 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium 987 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T8300 scores 1,472 against the Pentium 987's 1,487 — a 1% lead for the Pentium 987. L3 cache: 3 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T8300 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 987.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T8300	Pentium 987
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz+60%	1.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+60%	1.5 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB L2 Cache+50%	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	3 MB	256K (per core)+8433%
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,472	1,487+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	450	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	850	—

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo T8300 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium 987 uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.