Core 2 Duo T9300 vs Core 2 Duo T5500

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 T9300 is positioned at rank 176 and the Core 2 Duo T5500 is on rank 386, so the Core 2 Duo T9300 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 T9300

#49

Core i9-12900HX

MSRP: $606|Avg: N/A

99%

#164

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

351%

#165

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

346%

#166

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

318%

#167

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

316%

#168

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

314%

#170

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

303%

#171

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

290%

#172

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

290%

#173

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

282%

#176

Core 2 Duo T9300

MSRP: $316|Avg: $20

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo T5500

#119

Ryzen 7 PRO 250

MSRP: $400|Avg: $380

98%

#374

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

530%

#375

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

523%

#376

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

480%

#377

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

477%

#378

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

473%

#380

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

457%

#381

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

438%

#382

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

437%

#383

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

426%

#386

Core 2 Duo T5500

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#391

Core i5-1145GRE

MSRP: $362|Avg: N/A

99%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core 2 Duo T9300 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core 2 Duo T5500 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.6% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core 2 Duo T9300	Core 2 Duo T5500
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($20)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Merom (2006−2008) / 65 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core 2 Duo T9300	Core 2 Duo T5500
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($20)	✅ 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 T9300 Benchmark Check

Core 2 Duo T5500 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo T9300 and Core 2 Duo T5500

Core 2 Duo T9300

The Core 2 Duo T9300 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 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,670 points. Launch price was $316.

Core 2 Duo T5500

The Core 2 Duo T5500 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. Base frequency is 1.66 GHz, with boost up to 1.66 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 34 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,660 points. Launch price was $249.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo T9300 and Core 2 Duo T5500 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T9300 versus 1.66 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T5500 — a 40.4% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo T9300 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1.66 GHz). The Core 2 Duo T9300 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Duo T5500 uses Merom (2006−2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T9300 scores 1,670 against the Core 2 Duo T5500's 1,660 — a 0.6% lead for the Core 2 Duo T9300. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T9300 vs 0 kB on the Core 2 Duo T5500.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T9300	Core 2 Duo T5500
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz+51%	1.66 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+51%	1.66 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB L2 Cache	0 kB
L2 Cache	6 MB+200%	2 MB
Process	45 nm-31%	65 nm
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Merom (2006−2008)
PassMark	1,670	1,660
Geekbench 6 Multi	432	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the PGA478 socket with PCIe 1.1.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T9300	Core 2 Duo T5500
Socket	PGA478	PGA478
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Core 2 Duo T9300) / not specified (Core 2 Duo T5500). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo T9300 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core 2 Duo T9300 rivals Athlon Silver 3050U.