Core i5-4250U vs Core 2 Duo T5900

Core i5-4250U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.6 GHz2013

Core 2 Duo T5900

2 Cores2 Thrd2 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2008

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-4250U

2 / 4

2,144

+1.0%

2,123

0.0%

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 i5-4250U is positioned at rank 100 and the Core 2 Duo T5900 is on rank 19, so the Core 2 Duo T5900 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 i5-4250U

#88

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

274%

#89

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

270%

#90

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

248%

#91

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

246%

#92

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

244%

#94

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

236%

#95

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

226%

#96

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

226%

#97

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

220%

#100

Core i5-4250U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#102

N100

MSRP: $128|Avg: $128

100%

#106

Ryzen 5 2500U

MSRP: $349|Avg: N/A

98%

#109

Celeron 4305U

MSRP: $107|Avg: N/A

97%

#110

Celeron J1850

MSRP: $82|Avg: N/A

97%

#114

Core i3-4100M

MSRP: $225|Avg: $99

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo T5900

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

138%

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

136%

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

125%

#10

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

124%

#11

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

123%

#13

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

119%

#14

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

114%

#15

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

114%

#16

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

111%

#19

Core 2 Duo T5900

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

100%

#22

Core i3-3130M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

90%

#23

Core 2 Duo T5550

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

86%

#24

Core 2 Duo T7100

MSRP: $197|Avg: $15

86%

#27

Pentium 2030M

MSRP: $134|Avg: N/A

82%

#28

Core 2 Duo T5750

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $8

82%

#29

Core 2 Duo T7200

MSRP: $286|Avg: $6

81%

#30

Core i5-3230M

MSRP: $225|Avg: $13

81%

#31

Atom D525

MSRP: $63|Avg: N/A

80%

#32

Atom x7835RE

MSRP: $127|Avg: N/A

80%

#33

Core 2 Duo P8400

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

78%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-4250U delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core 2 Duo T5900 in both compute-intensive tasks (1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-4250U	Core 2 Duo T5900
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($5)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Merom (2006−2008) / 65 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i5-4250U	Core 2 Duo T5900
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($5)

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 i5-4250U Benchmark Check

Core 2 Duo T5900 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-4250U and Core 2 Duo T5900

Core i5-4250U

The Core i5-4250U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,144 points. Launch price was $430.

Core 2 Duo T5900

The Core 2 Duo T5900 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: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: P. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 2,123 points. Launch price was $249.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-4250U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core 2 Duo T5900's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Core i5-4250U versus 2.2 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T5900 — a 16.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-4250U. The Core i5-4250U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core 2 Duo T5900 uses Merom (2006−2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4250U scores 2,144 against the Core 2 Duo T5900's 2,123 — a 1% lead for the Core i5-4250U.

Feature	Core i5-4250U	Core 2 Duo T5900
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz+18%	2.2 GHz
Base Clock	1.3 GHz	—
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB+700%
Process	22 nm-66%	65 nm
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Merom (2006−2008)
PassMark	2,144	2,123
Geekbench 6 Single	770	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,450	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-4250U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core 2 Duo T5900 uses P (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-4250U	Core 2 Duo T5900
Socket	FCBGA1168	P
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+173%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	12	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-4250U) / not specified (Core 2 Duo T5900). The Core i5-4250U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 5000), while the Core 2 Duo T5900 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4250U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i5-4250U rivals Ryzen 3 3200U.