Core 2 Duo T9900 vs Core i7-680UM

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 Core i7-680UM is on rank 1036, so the Core 2 Duo T9900 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 T9900

#187

Core Ultra 9 288V

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

98%

#188

Core i7-10870H

MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A

98%

#623

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

853%

#624

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

840%

#625

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

772%

#626

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

768%

#627

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

761%

#629

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

735%

#630

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

705%

#631

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

703%

#632

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

685%

#635

Core 2 Duo T9900

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#638

Celeron Dual-Core T1400

MSRP: $80|Avg: $10

99%

#650

Core i5-1345UE

MSRP: $312|Avg: $312

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-680UM

#1024

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2453%

#1025

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2417%

#1026

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2219%

#1027

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2209%

#1028

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2189%

#1030

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2114%

#1031

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2027%

#1032

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2023%

#1033

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1969%

#1036

Core i7-680UM

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#1037

Core i7-8665UE

MSRP: $409|Avg: $409

99%

#1038

Celeron T3300

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

98%

#1039

Celeron Dual-Core T3300

MSRP: $86|Avg: $30

98%

#1042

Core i7-3612QE

MSRP: $426|Avg: $50

97%

#1043

A10-7300

MSRP: $150|Avg: $50

97%

#1044

Pentium Dual Core T4200

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

96%

#1045

A6 Micro-6500T

MSRP: $100|Avg: $15

96%

#1046

Pentium N3520

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

96%

#1047

E2-3800

MSRP: $100|Avg: $20

95%

#1048

Athlon X2 QL-66

MSRP: $150|Avg: $5

94%

#1049

Athlon II Neo K145

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

94%

#1050

Celeron P4600

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

94%

#1051

Core 2 Duo U7500

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i7-680UM leads in gaming performance. However, the Core 2 Duo T9900 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.7% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core 2 Duo T9900	Core i7-680UM
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core 2 Duo T9900	Core i7-680UM
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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 T9900 Benchmark Check

Core i7-680UM Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo T9900 and Core i7-680UM

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.

Core i7-680UM

The Core i7-680UM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 26 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.46 GHz, with boost up to 2.53 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800. Passmark benchmark score: 1,196 points. Launch price was $317.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 2 Duo T9900 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i7-680UM's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.07 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T9900 versus 2.53 GHz on the Core i7-680UM — a 189.2% clock advantage for the Core i7-680UM (base: 3.06 GHz vs 1.46 GHz). The Core 2 Duo T9900 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i7-680UM uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T9900 scores 1,204 against the Core i7-680UM's 1,196 — a 0.7% lead for the Core 2 Duo T9900. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T9900 vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-680UM.

Feature	Core 2 Duo T9900	Core i7-680UM
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	0.07 GHz	2.53 GHz+3514%
Base Clock	3.06 GHz+110%	1.46 GHz
L3 Cache	6 MB L2 Cache+50%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	6 MB (total)+2300%	256 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,204	1,196

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo T9900 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core i7-680UM uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.