
Pentium P6300 vs Core i7-2617M

Pentium P6300

Core i7-2617M
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 P6300 is positioned at rank 852 and the Core i7-2617M is on rank 287, so the Core i7-2617M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium P6300
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-2617M
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium P6300 | Core i7-2617M |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium P6300 | Core i7-2617M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ 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 P6300 and Core i7-2617M

Pentium P6300
The Pentium P6300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.27 GHz, with boost up to 0.27 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: 1,685 points. Launch price was $69.

Core i7-2617M
The Core i7-2617M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,687 points. Launch price was $100.
Processing Power
The Pentium P6300 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i7-2617M's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.27 GHz on the Pentium P6300 versus 2.6 GHz on the Core i7-2617M — a 162.4% clock advantage for the Core i7-2617M (base: 2.27 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Pentium P6300 uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-2617M uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium P6300 scores 1,685 against the Core i7-2617M's 1,687 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i7-2617M. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Pentium P6300 vs 4 MB on the Core i7-2617M.
| Feature | Pentium P6300 | Core i7-2617M |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 0.27 GHz | 2.6 GHz+863% |
| Base Clock | 2.27 GHz+51% | 1.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | 4 MB+33% |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512 kB+100% |
| Process | 32 nm | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Arrandale (2010−2011) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,685 | 1,687 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 448 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium P6300 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-2617M uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium P6300 | Core i7-2617M |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | BGA1023 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium P6300) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-2617M). The Core i7-2617M includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 3000), while the Pentium P6300 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-2617M targets Ultrabook. Direct competitor: Core i7-2617M rivals A6-3400M.
| Feature | Pentium P6300 | Core i7-2617M |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics 3000 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Ultrabook |
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