Core i5-3437U vs Core 2 Duo T5850

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 i5-3437U is positioned at rank 164 and the Core 2 Duo T5850 is on rank 245, so the Core i5-3437U 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 i5-3437U

#152

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

339%

#153

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

334%

#154

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

306%

#155

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

305%

#156

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

302%

#158

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

292%

#159

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

280%

#160

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

279%

#161

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

272%

#164

Core i5-3437U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#173

Celeron N3060

MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A

97%

#176

Core 2 Duo T9300

MSRP: $316|Avg: $20

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo T5850

#64

Ryzen AI Max PRO 390

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

100%

#233

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

407%

#234

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

401%

#235

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

368%

#236

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

367%

#237

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

363%

#239

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

351%

#240

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

337%

#241

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

336%

#242

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

327%

#245

Core 2 Duo T5850

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-3437U delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core 2 Duo T5850 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.2% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-3437U	Core 2 Duo T5850
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Merom (2006−2008) / 65 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i5-3437U	Core 2 Duo T5850
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 i5-3437U Benchmark Check

Core 2 Duo T5850 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-3437U and Core 2 Duo T5850

Core i5-3437U

The Core i5-3437U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,166 points. Launch price was $69.

Core 2 Duo T5850

The Core 2 Duo T5850 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Merom (2006−2008) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 2,161 points. Launch price was $249.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-3437U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core 2 Duo T5850's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Core i5-3437U versus 2.1 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T5850 — a 32% clock advantage for the Core i5-3437U. The Core i5-3437U uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core 2 Duo T5850 uses Merom (2006−2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-3437U scores 2,166 against the Core 2 Duo T5850's 2,161 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i5-3437U.

Feature	Core i5-3437U	Core 2 Duo T5850
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.9 GHz+38%	2.1 GHz
Base Clock	1.9 GHz	—
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB+700%
Process	22 nm-66%	65 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Merom (2006−2008)
PassMark	2,166	2,161
Geekbench 6 Single	440	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,080	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-3437U) / not specified (Core 2 Duo T5850). The Core i5-3437U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Core 2 Duo T5850 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-3437U targets Business Ultrabook. Direct competitor: Core i5-3437U rivals AMD A8-4555M.