Core 2 Duo T9900 vs Athlon II X2 250e
Core 2 Duo T9900
Athlon II X2 250e
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 T9900 is positioned at rank 635 and the Athlon II X2 250e is on rank 889, so the Core 2 Duo T9900 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 T9900
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 250e
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Duo T9900 | Athlon II X2 250e |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Duo T9900 | Athlon II X2 250e |
|---|---|---|
| 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 T9900 and Athlon II X2 250e
Core 2 Duo T9900
The Core 2 Duo T9900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 June 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.06 GHz, with boost up to 0.07 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,204 points. Launch price was $530.
Athlon II X2 250e
The Athlon II X2 250e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,202 points. Launch price was $77.
Processing Power
Both the Core 2 Duo T9900 and Athlon II X2 250e share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.07 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T9900 versus 3 GHz on the Athlon II X2 250e — a 190.9% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 250e (base: 3.06 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core 2 Duo T9900 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II X2 250e uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T9900 scores 1,204 against the Athlon II X2 250e's 1,202 — a 0.2% lead for the Core 2 Duo T9900. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T9900 vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 250e.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T9900 | Athlon II X2 250e |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 0.07 GHz | 3 GHz+4186% |
| Base Clock | 3.06 GHz+2% | 3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB L2 Cache | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB (total)+500% | 1 MB |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Penryn (2008−2011) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,204 | 1,202 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 250 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 470 |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Duo T9900 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon II X2 250e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T9900 | Athlon II X2 250e |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core 2 Duo T9900) / AMD-V (Athlon II X2 250e). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 250e targets Energy Efficient Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 250e rivals Pentium E5700.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T9900 | Athlon II X2 250e |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Energy Efficient Legacy Desktop |
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