Pentium 2117U vs Core 2 Duo E4300

Pentium 2117U

2 Cores2 Thrd512 WWMax: 1.8 GHz2012

Core 2 Duo E4300

2 Cores2 Thrd65 WWMax: 1.8 GHz2006

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Pentium 2117U

2 / 2

1,009

+0.4%

1,005

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 Pentium 2117U is positioned at rank 117 and the Core 2 Duo E4300 is on rank 1015, so the Pentium 2117U 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 Pentium 2117U

#105

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

291%

#106

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

287%

#107

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

263%

#108

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

262%

#109

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

259%

#111

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

251%

#112

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

240%

#113

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

240%

#114

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

233%

#117

Pentium 2117U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#126

Celeron N4000

MSRP: $107|Avg: $30

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo E4300

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

35064%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

33132%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

24056%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

7247%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

5740%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

5022%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

2876%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

2839%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

2585%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

2584%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

2556%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

2487%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

2452%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

2442%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

2420%

#1015

Core 2 Duo E4300

MSRP: $113|Avg: $5

100%

#1017

Core 2 Duo E4500

MSRP: $133|Avg: $10

99%

#1019

Core 2 Duo E7600

MSRP: $133|Avg: $50

97%

#1020

Core i7-3970X

MSRP: $990|Avg: $60

97%

#1021

Core 2 Duo E8700

MSRP: $256|Avg: $30

97%

#1022

Core 2 Duo E6550

MSRP: $163|Avg: $20

96%

#1023

Phenom X3 8450

MSRP: $145|Avg: $147

95%

#1024

Core i7-3960X

MSRP: $999|Avg: $60

95%

#1025

Celeron 2.70

MSRP: $49|Avg: $49

94%

#1027

A10 PRO-7850B

MSRP: $426|Avg: $140

91%

#1028

Core 2 Quad Q8200

MSRP: $224|Avg: $36

91%

#1029

A12-9800E

MSRP: $426|Avg: $150

90%

#1030

Phenom II X6 1065T

MSRP: $426|Avg: $170

90%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Pentium 2117U (2012) utilizes 22 nm technology and DDR3, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Pentium 2117U	Core 2 Duo E4300
Gaming	Balanced gaming performance	Balanced gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($5)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Allendale (2006−2009) / 65 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core 2 Duo E4300 (2006) relies on 65 nm technology and DDR1, DDR2, DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Pentium 2117U	Core 2 Duo E4300
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.

Pentium 2117U Benchmark Check

Core 2 Duo E4300 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium 2117U and Core 2 Duo E4300

Pentium 2117U

The Pentium 2117U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 2 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: 1,009 points. Launch price was $134.

Core 2 Duo E4300

The Core 2 Duo E4300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Allendale (2006−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,005 points. Launch price was $249.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Pentium 2117U and Core 2 Duo E4300 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the Pentium 2117U versus 1.8 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E4300 — identical boost frequencies (base: 1.8 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Pentium 2117U uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core 2 Duo E4300 uses Allendale (2006−2009) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 2117U scores 1,009 against the Core 2 Duo E4300's 1,005 — a 0.4% lead for the Pentium 2117U. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 2117U vs 0 kB on the Core 2 Duo E4300.

Feature	Pentium 2117U	Core 2 Duo E4300
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.8 GHz	1.8 GHz
Base Clock	1.8 GHz	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	0 kB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2 MB+700%
Process	22 nm-66%	65 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Allendale (2006−2009)
PassMark	1,009	1,005

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium 2117U uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core 2 Duo E4300 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.