Core 2 Duo T9800 vs Pentium E6600

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 T9800 vs Pentium E6600 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 T9800 vs Pentium E6600: 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 T9800

2009

Why buy it

✅Draws 6W instead of 65W, a 59W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,189 vs 1,194).

Pentium E6600

2010

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $84 MSRP, while Core 2 Duo T9800 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌983.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 6W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium E6600 better than Core 2 Duo T9800?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core 2 Duo T9800 is ahead with a 2.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium E6600 pulls ahead with 0.4% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium E6600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium E6600 is the better buy right now. Pentium E6600 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $84 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.4% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core 2 Duo T9800 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (14.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 E6600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2009) 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 T9800 vs Pentium E6600 Technical Specifications

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

Core 2 Duo T9800

The Core 2 Duo T9800 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.93 GHz, with boost up to 2.92 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: 1,189 points. Launch price was $530.

Pentium E6600

The Pentium E6600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 17 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.06 GHz, with boost up to 0.07 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,194 points. Launch price was $16.

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Processing Power

Both the Core 2 Duo T9800 and Pentium E6600 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.92 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T9800 versus 0.07 GHz on the Pentium E6600 — a 190.6% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo T9800 (base: 2.93 GHz vs 3.06 GHz). The Core 2 Duo T9800 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium E6600 uses Wolfdale (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T9800 scores 1,189 against the Pentium E6600's 1,194 — a 0.4% lead for the Pentium E6600. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T9800 vs 0 kB on the Pentium E6600.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T9800	Pentium E6600
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.92 GHz+4071%	0.07 GHz
Base Clock	2.93 GHz	3.06 GHz+4%
L3 Cache	6 MB L2 Cache	0 kB
L2 Cache	6 MB+200%	2 MB (total)
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Wolfdale (2008−2010)
PassMark	1,189	1,194

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo T9800 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium E6600 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.