Core 2 Duo T9400 vs Pentium D 960
Core 2 Duo T9400
Pentium D 960
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 T9400 is positioned at rank 796 and the Pentium D 960 is on rank 1104, so the Core 2 Duo T9400 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo T9400
Performance Per Dollar Pentium D 960
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Duo T9400 | Pentium D 960 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Duo T9400 | Pentium D 960 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo T9400 and Pentium D 960
Core 2 Duo T9400
The Core 2 Duo T9400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 July 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 2.53 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: 1,004 points. Launch price was $316.
Pentium D 960
The Pentium D 960 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,005 points. Launch price was $523.
Processing Power
Both the Core 2 Duo T9400 and Pentium D 960 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.53 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T9400 versus 3.6 GHz on the Pentium D 960 — a 34.9% clock advantage for the Pentium D 960 (base: 2.53 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core 2 Duo T9400 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium D 960 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T9400 scores 1,004 against the Pentium D 960's 1,005 — a 0.1% lead for the Pentium D 960. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T9400 vs 0 kB on the Pentium D 960.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T9400 | Pentium D 960 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.53 GHz | 3.6 GHz+42% |
| Base Clock | 2.53 GHz | 3.6 GHz+42% |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB L2 Cache | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB+200% | 2 MB (total) |
| Process | 45 nm-31% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Penryn (2008−2011) | NetBurst (2000−2006) |
| PassMark | 1,004 | 1,005 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 320 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Duo T9400 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium D 960 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T9400 | Pentium D 960 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | LGA775 |
| 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 T9400) / not specified (Pentium D 960). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo T9400 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core 2 Duo T9400 rivals Athlon Silver 3050U.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T9400 | Pentium D 960 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
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