Pentium 2117U vs Core 2 Duo E8235

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. The Pentium 2117U is positioned at rank #117 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Balanced cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.

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

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core 2 Duo E8235 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Pentium 2117U in both compute-intensive tasks (1.1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Pentium 2117U	Core 2 Duo E8235
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($20)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Pentium 2117U	Core 2 Duo E8235
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($20)

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 E8235 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium 2117U and Core 2 Duo E8235

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 E8235

The Core 2 Duo E8235 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: P. Thermal design power (TDP): 44 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,020 points. Launch price was $249.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Pentium 2117U and Core 2 Duo E8235 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the Pentium 2117U versus 2.8 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E8235 — a 43.5% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo E8235 (base: 1.8 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Pentium 2117U uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the Core 2 Duo E8235 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 2117U scores 1,009 against the Core 2 Duo E8235's 1,020 — a 1.1% lead for the Core 2 Duo E8235.

Feature	Pentium 2117U	Core 2 Duo E8235
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.8 GHz	2.8 GHz+56%
Base Clock	1.8 GHz	2.8 GHz+56%
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	6 MB (total)+2300%
Process	22 nm-51%	45 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark	1,009	1,020+1%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium 2117U uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core 2 Duo E8235 uses P (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.