Core i3-350M vs Core 2 Duo P9600

Core i3-350M

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 0.27 GHz2010

Core 2 Duo P9600

2 Cores2 Thrd6 WWMax: 2.66 GHz2009

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-350M

2 / 4

1,088

0.0%

1,093

+0.5%

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 i3-350M is positioned at rank 17 and the Core 2 Duo P9600 is on rank 609, so the Core i3-350M 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 i3-350M

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

135%

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

133%

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

122%

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

121%

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

120%

#11

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

116%

#12

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

111%

#13

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

111%

#14

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

108%

#17

Core i3-350M

MSRP: $130|Avg: $10

100%

#18

Atom x5-E8000

MSRP: $18|Avg: N/A

99%

#19

Core 2 Duo T5900

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

98%

#22

Core i3-3130M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

88%

#23

Core 2 Duo T5550

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

84%

#24

Core 2 Duo T7100

MSRP: $197|Avg: $15

84%

#27

Pentium 2030M

MSRP: $134|Avg: N/A

80%

#28

Core 2 Duo T5750

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $8

80%

#29

Core 2 Duo T7200

MSRP: $286|Avg: $6

79%

#30

Core i5-3230M

MSRP: $225|Avg: $13

79%

#31

Atom D525

MSRP: $63|Avg: N/A

78%

#32

Atom x7835RE

MSRP: $127|Avg: N/A

78%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo P9600

#185

Ryzen 7 5825C

MSRP: $400|Avg: $400

100%

#597

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

805%

#598

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

794%

#599

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

729%

#600

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

725%

#601

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

719%

#603

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

694%

#604

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

665%

#605

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

664%

#606

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

646%

#609

Core 2 Duo P9600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#622

Athlon II P320

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core 2 Duo P9600 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core i3-350M in both compute-intensive tasks (0.5% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i3-350M	Core 2 Duo P9600
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($10)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i3-350M	Core 2 Duo P9600
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($10)	✅ More affordable ($0)

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 i3-350M Benchmark Check

Core 2 Duo P9600 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-350M and Core 2 Duo P9600

Core i3-350M

The Core i3-350M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.26 GHz, with boost up to 0.27 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,088 points. Launch price was $130.

Core 2 Duo P9600

The Core 2 Duo P9600 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 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,093 points. Launch price was $348.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-350M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core 2 Duo P9600's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.27 GHz on the Core i3-350M versus 2.66 GHz on the Core 2 Duo P9600 — a 163.1% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo P9600 (base: 2.26 GHz vs 2.66 GHz). The Core i3-350M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Core 2 Duo P9600 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-350M scores 1,088 against the Core 2 Duo P9600's 1,093 — a 0.5% lead for the Core 2 Duo P9600. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-350M vs 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo P9600.

Feature	Core i3-350M	Core 2 Duo P9600
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	0.27 GHz	2.66 GHz+885%
Base Clock	2.26 GHz	2.66 GHz+18%
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	6 MB L2 Cache+100%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	6 MB+2300%
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Arrandale (2010−2011)	Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark	1,088	1,093
Geekbench 6 Single	280	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	650	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-350M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo P9600 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-350M	Core 2 Duo P9600
Socket	PGA988	PGA478
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-350M) / not specified (Core 2 Duo P9600). The Core i3-350M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics), while the Core 2 Duo P9600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-350M targets Entry Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-350M rivals AMD Athlon II P320.