Core i7-610E vs Core 2 Duo SP9400

Core i7-610E

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2010

Core 2 Duo SP9400

2 Cores2 Thrd6 WWMax: 2.4 GHz2008

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-610E

2 / 4

2,071

0.0%

2,083

+0.6%

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 i7-610E is positioned at rank 1125 and the Core 2 Duo SP9400 is on rank 631, so the Core 2 Duo SP9400 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 i7-610E

#1113

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3543%

#1114

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3492%

#1115

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3205%

#1116

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3191%

#1117

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3162%

#1119

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3053%

#1120

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2928%

#1121

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2923%

#1122

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2844%

#1125

Core i7-610E

MSRP: $250|Avg: $40

100%

#1126

Core i5-5350U

MSRP: $315|Avg: N/A

99%

#1127

Pentium Dual Core T4300

MSRP: $150|Avg: $99

99%

#1128

Core i7-3520M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

99%

#1129

Core i3-4100E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $30

99%

#1130

Core i3-2310E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $20

99%

#1131

Core i5-2510E

MSRP: $230|Avg: $30

99%

#1132

Core m5-6Y54

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

99%

#1133

Core i3-2330E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $10

98%

#1135

Core i5-4288U

MSRP: $342|Avg: N/A

94%

#1136

Core m3-6Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

94%

#1137

Core i3-2340UE

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

93%

#1138

Core i7-2820QM

MSRP: $568|Avg: N/A

93%

#1139

Core i5-520M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo SP9400

#187

Core Ultra 9 288V

MSRP: $600|Avg: $600

97%

#188

Core i7-10870H

MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A

97%

#619

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

845%

#620

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

833%

#621

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

764%

#622

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

761%

#623

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

754%

#625

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

728%

#626

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

698%

#627

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

697%

#628

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

678%

#631

Core 2 Duo SP9400

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#638

Celeron Dual-Core T1400

MSRP: $80|Avg: $10

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i7-610E leads in gaming performance. However, the Core 2 Duo SP9400 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.6% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Core i7-610E	Core 2 Duo SP9400
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($40)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Core i7-610E	Core 2 Duo SP9400
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($40)	✅ 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 i7-610E Benchmark Check

Core 2 Duo SP9400 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-610E and Core 2 Duo SP9400

Core i7-610E

The Core i7-610E 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 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066. Passmark benchmark score: 2,071 points. Launch price was $332.

Core 2 Duo SP9400

The Core 2 Duo SP9400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 August 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: BGA956. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,083 points. Launch price was $284.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-610E packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core 2 Duo SP9400's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i7-610E versus 2.4 GHz on the Core 2 Duo SP9400 — a 28.6% clock advantage for the Core i7-610E (base: 2.53 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Core i7-610E uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Core 2 Duo SP9400 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-610E scores 2,071 against the Core 2 Duo SP9400's 2,083 — a 0.6% lead for the Core 2 Duo SP9400. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-610E vs 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo SP9400.

Feature	Core i7-610E	Core 2 Duo SP9400
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz+33%	2.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.53 GHz+5%	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	6 MB L2 Cache+50%
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	6 MB+2300%
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Arrandale (2010−2011)	Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark	2,071	2,083
Geekbench 6 Single	—	340
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	600

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-610E uses the BGA1288 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo SP9400 uses BGA956 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-610E	Core 2 Duo SP9400
Socket	BGA1288	BGA956
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1066
Max RAM Capacity	—	8 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i7-610E) / VT-x (Core 2 Duo SP9400). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo SP9400 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core 2 Duo SP9400 rivals Athlon II X2 245e.