Core i5-430M vs Core 2 Duo T9900

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 i5-430M is positioned at rank 12 and the Core 2 Duo T9900 is on rank 635, so the Core i5-430M 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 i5-430M

#4

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

121%

#5

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

119%

#6

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

110%

#7

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

109%

#8

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

108%

#10

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

104%

#11

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

100%

#12

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

100%

#13

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

97%

#17

Core i3-350M

MSRP: $130|Avg: $10

90%

#18

Atom x5-E8000

MSRP: $18|Avg: N/A

89%

#19

Core 2 Duo T5900

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

88%

#22

Core i3-3130M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

79%

#23

Core 2 Duo T5550

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $5

75%

#24

Core 2 Duo T7100

MSRP: $197|Avg: $15

75%

#27

Pentium 2030M

MSRP: $134|Avg: N/A

72%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo T9900

#187

Core Ultra 9 288V

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

98%

#188

Core i7-10870H

MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A

98%

#623

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

853%

#624

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

840%

#625

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

772%

#626

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

768%

#627

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

761%

#629

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

735%

#630

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

705%

#631

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

703%

#632

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

685%

#635

Core 2 Duo T9900

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#638

Celeron Dual-Core T1400

MSRP: $80|Avg: $10

99%

#650

Core i5-1345UE

MSRP: $312|Avg: $312

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-430M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core 2 Duo T9900 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.5% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-430M	Core 2 Duo T9900
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($33)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i5-430M	Core 2 Duo T9900
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($33)	✅ 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 i5-430M Benchmark Check

Core 2 Duo T9900 Benchmark Check

Loading...

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-430M and Core 2 Duo T9900

Core i5-430M

The Core i5-430M 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 2.53 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: 1,210 points. Launch price was $79.

Core 2 Duo T9900

The Core 2 Duo T9900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 June 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.06 GHz, with boost up to 0.07 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,204 points. Launch price was $530.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-430M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core 2 Duo T9900's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.53 GHz on the Core i5-430M versus 0.07 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T9900 — a 189.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-430M (base: 2.26 GHz vs 3.06 GHz). The Core i5-430M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Core 2 Duo T9900 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-430M scores 1,210 against the Core 2 Duo T9900's 1,204 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i5-430M. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-430M vs 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T9900.

Feature	Core i5-430M	Core 2 Duo T9900
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.53 GHz+3514%	0.07 GHz
Base Clock	2.26 GHz	3.06 GHz+35%
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	6 MB L2 Cache+100%
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	6 MB (total)+2300%
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Arrandale (2010−2011)	Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark	1,210	1,204
Geekbench 6 Single	350	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	750	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-430M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo T9900 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-430M	Core 2 Duo T9900
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 i5-430M) / not specified (Core 2 Duo T9900). The Core i5-430M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics), while the Core 2 Duo T9900 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-430M targets Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-430M rivals AMD Turion II M620.