
Pentium G3430

Core 2 Duo T6400
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 G3430 is positioned at rank 829 and the Core 2 Duo T6400 is on rank 49, so the Core 2 Duo T6400 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G3430
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo T6400
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium G3430 | Core 2 Duo T6400 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium G3430 | Core 2 Duo T6400 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Pentium G3430 and Core 2 Duo T6400

Pentium G3430
The Pentium G3430 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 53 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,127 points. Launch price was $116.

Core 2 Duo T6400
The Core 2 Duo T6400 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 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,115 points. Launch price was $249.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium G3430 and Core 2 Duo T6400 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Pentium G3430 versus 2 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T6400 — a 49.1% clock advantage for the Pentium G3430 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Pentium G3430 uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Core 2 Duo T6400 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium G3430 scores 2,127 against the Core 2 Duo T6400's 2,115 — a 0.6% lead for the Pentium G3430. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G3430 vs 2 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T6400.
| Feature | Pentium G3430 | Core 2 Duo T6400 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.3 GHz+65% | 2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.3 GHz+65% | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total)+50% | 2 MB L2 Cache |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 2 MB+700% |
| Process | 22 nm-51% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Penryn (2008−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,127 | 2,115 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 650 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,300 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium G3430 uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core 2 Duo T6400 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium G3430 | Core 2 Duo T6400 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1150 | PGA478 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+173% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR2-800 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium G3430) / No (Core 2 Duo T6400). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo T6400 targets Mobile.
| Feature | Pentium G3430 | Core 2 Duo T6400 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | No |
| Target Use | — | Mobile |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
















