Core Duo T2700 vs Turion II M500

Intel

Core Duo T2700

2 Cores2 Thrd2 WWMax: 2.33 GHz2006
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Turion II M500

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2009
Similar parts
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Core Duo T2700 vs Turion II M500 Performance Spectrum

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.

Core Duo T2700 vs Turion II M500 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 Duo T2700 vs Turion II M500: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core Duo T2700

2006

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • Lower PassMark (1,860 vs 1,865).
    • Launch MSRP is still $663 MSRP, while Turion II M500 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
    • 100% higher power demand at 2W vs 1W.

    Turion II M500

    2009

    Why buy it

    • +0.3% higher PassMark.
    • Draws 1W instead of 2W, a 1W reduction.

    Trade-offs

    • Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Turion II M500 better than Core Duo T2700?
    It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core Duo T2700 is ahead with a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Turion II M500 pulls ahead with 0.3% better PassMark.
    Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
    For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Turion II M500 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
    Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
    Turion II M500 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Turion II M500 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $663 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.3% better PassMark. Core Duo T2700 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2006 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (2.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on PGA478.
    Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
    Turion II M500 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2009 vs 2006) 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 Duo T2700 vs Turion II M500 Technical Specifications

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

    Intel

    Core Duo T2700

    The Core Duo T2700 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 28 July 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the Yonah (2005−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.33 GHz, with boost up to 2.33 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 31 Watt. Memory support: DDR1. Passmark benchmark score: 1,860 points. Launch price was $663.

    AMD

    Turion II M500

    The Turion II M500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Caspian (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g3. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,865 points. Launch price was $69.

    Processing Power

    Both the Core Duo T2700 and Turion II M500 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.33 GHz on the Core Duo T2700 versus 2.2 GHz on the Turion II M500 — a 5.7% clock advantage for the Core Duo T2700. The Core Duo T2700 uses the Yonah (2005−2006) architecture (65 nm), while the Turion II M500 uses Caspian (2009) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core Duo T2700 scores 1,860 against the Turion II M500's 1,865 — a 0.3% lead for the Turion II M500.

    FeatureCore Duo T2700Turion II M500
    Cores / Threads
    2 / 2
    2 / 2
    Boost Clock
    2.33 GHz+6%
    2.2 GHz
    Base Clock
    2.33 GHz
    L3 Cache
    0 kB
    L2 Cache
    2 MB+100%
    1 MB
    Process
    65 nm
    45 nm-31%
    Architecture
    Yonah (2005−2006)
    Caspian (2009)
    PassMark
    1,860
    1,865
    Geekbench 6 Single
    200
    Geekbench 6 Multi
    350
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Core Duo T2700 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Turion II M500 uses S1g3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeatureCore Duo T2700Turion II M500
    Socket
    PGA478
    S1g3
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 1.1
    PCIe 2.0+82%
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR2-667
    Max RAM Capacity
    4 GB
    RAM Channels
    2
    ECC Support
    No
    PCIe Lanes
    0
    🔧

    Advanced Features

    Virtualization: VT-x (Core Duo T2700) / not specified (Turion II M500). Primary use case: Core Duo T2700 targets Laptop. Direct competitor: Core Duo T2700 rivals Core 2 Duo T5600.

    FeatureCore Duo T2700Turion II M500
    Integrated GPU
    No
    Unlocked
    No
    AVX-512
    No
    Virtualization
    VT-x
    Target Use
    Laptop