Core i3-4000M vs Core 2 Quad Q9100

CPU

GPU

Core i3-4000M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.4 GHz2013

Core 2 Quad Q9100

4 Cores4 Thrd12 WWMax: 2.26 GHz2008

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i3-4000M

2 / 4

1,797

0.0%

1,806

+0.5%

Core 2 Duo E4700

Core i5-430M

Celeron 1020E

Pentium Dual Core T2370

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 i3-4000M is positioned at rank 501 and the Core 2 Quad Q9100 is on rank 69, so the Core 2 Quad Q9100 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 i3-4000M

#158

Core i9-13900H

MSRP: $617|Avg: N/A

99%

#161

Core Ultra 7 268V

MSRP: $450|Avg: $400

97%

#489

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

653%

#490

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

643%

#491

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

591%

#492

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

588%

#493

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

583%

#495

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

563%

#496

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

540%

#497

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

539%

#498

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

524%

#501

Core i3-4000M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Quad Q9100

#15

Ryzen 5 220

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

97%

#18

Ryzen 5 8500G

MSRP: $179|Avg: $150

93%

#57

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

227%

#58

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

224%

#59

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

206%

#60

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

205%

#61

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

203%

#63

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

196%

#64

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

188%

#65

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

188%

#66

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

183%

#69

Core 2 Quad Q9100

MSRP: $14|Avg: $14

100%

#75

Core i3-4030U

MSRP: $281|Avg: N/A

97%

#79

Atom D2500

MSRP: $42|Avg: N/A

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i3-4000M leads in gaming performance. However, the Core 2 Quad Q9100 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.5% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i3-4000M	Core 2 Quad Q9100
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($14)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i3-4000M	Core 2 Quad Q9100
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($14)

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 i3-4000M Benchmark Check

Core 2 Quad Q9100 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-4000M and Core 2 Quad Q9100

Core i3-4000M

The Core i3-4000M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA946. Thermal design power (TDP): 37 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,797 points. Launch price was $225.

Core 2 Quad Q9100

The Core 2 Quad Q9100 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.26 GHz, with boost up to 2.26 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,806 points. Launch price was $249.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-4000M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core 2 Quad Q9100 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Core 2 Quad Q9100 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Core i3-4000M versus 2.26 GHz on the Core 2 Quad Q9100 — a 6% clock advantage for the Core i3-4000M (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.26 GHz). The Core i3-4000M uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core 2 Quad Q9100 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-4000M scores 1,797 against the Core 2 Quad Q9100's 1,806 — a 0.5% lead for the Core 2 Quad Q9100. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-4000M vs 0 kB on the Core 2 Quad Q9100.

Feature	Core i3-4000M	Core 2 Quad Q9100
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz+6%	2.26 GHz
Base Clock	2.4 GHz+6%	2.26 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	0 kB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	6 MB (total)+2300%
Process	22 nm-51%	45 nm
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark	1,797	1,806

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-4000M uses the PGA946 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core 2 Quad Q9100 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.