Pentium Dual Core T3400 vs Core i5-2430M

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.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i5-2430M

#1094

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3275%

#1095

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3227%

#1096

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2962%

#1097

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2949%

#1098

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2922%

#1100

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2821%

#1101

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2705%

#1102

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2701%

#1103

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2628%

#1106

Core i5-2430M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

100%

#1108

Pentium Dual Core T4500

MSRP: $150|Avg: $30

99%

#1109

Celeron B820

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

99%

#1110

Pentium B980

MSRP: $125|Avg: $35

98%

#1111

Celeron 867

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

98%

#1112

Pentium B970

MSRP: $125|Avg: $39

98%

#1113

Core i5-2410M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

97%

#1114

Pentium T2370

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

97%

#1115

Pentium N3710

MSRP: $161|Avg: $50

96%

#1116

Core m3-7Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

96%

#1117

Pentium 977

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

96%

#1118

Core i7-2715QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $50

95%

#1120

VIA Nano U2250

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

95%

#1121

Core i5-560M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i5-2430M leads in gaming performance. However, the Pentium Dual Core T3400 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.5% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Pentium Dual Core T3400	Core i5-2430M
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($89)	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 65 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Pentium Dual Core T3400 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 60% cheaper ($89 vs $225) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Pentium Dual Core T3400	Core i5-2430M
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+154%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($89)	⚠️ Higher cost ($225)

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 Dual Core T3400 Benchmark Check

Core i5-2430M Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium Dual Core T3400 and Core i5-2430M

Pentium Dual Core T3400

The Pentium Dual Core T3400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.16 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 2,026 points. Launch price was $69.

Core i5-2430M

The Core i5-2430M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 October 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3 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: 2,015 points. Launch price was $225.

⚡

Processing Power

The Pentium Dual Core T3400 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i5-2430M's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.16 GHz on the Pentium Dual Core T3400 versus 3 GHz on the Core i5-2430M — a 32.6% clock advantage for the Core i5-2430M. The Pentium Dual Core T3400 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (65 nm), while the Core i5-2430M uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Dual Core T3400 scores 2,026 against the Core i5-2430M's 2,015 — a 0.5% lead for the Pentium Dual Core T3400.

Feature	Pentium Dual Core T3400	Core i5-2430M
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.16 GHz	3 GHz+39%
Base Clock	—	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	—	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB+300%	256K (per core)
Process	65 nm	32 nm-51%
Architecture	NetBurst (2000−2006)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	2,026	2,015

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium Dual Core T3400 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core i5-2430M uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium Dual Core T3400	Core i5-2430M
Socket	PGA478	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	—	1333
Max RAM Capacity	—	16
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium Dual Core T3400) / true (Core i5-2430M). The Core i5-2430M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 3000), while the Pentium Dual Core T3400 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i5-2430M rivals AMD A8-3500M.