
Turion II P520 vs Core 2 Duo SL9600

Turion II P520

Core 2 Duo SL9600
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 Turion II P520 is positioned at rank 281 and the Core 2 Duo SL9600 is on rank 1177, so the Turion II P520 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Turion II P520
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo SL9600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Turion II P520 | Core 2 Duo SL9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($316) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Turion II P520 | Core 2 Duo SL9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($316) |
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 Turion II P520 and Core 2 Duo SL9600

Turion II P520
The Turion II P520 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,047 points. Launch price was $69.

Core 2 Duo SL9600
The Core 2 Duo SL9600 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.13 GHz, with boost up to 2.13 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: BGA956. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,054 points. Launch price was $316.
Processing Power
Both the Turion II P520 and Core 2 Duo SL9600 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Turion II P520 versus 2.13 GHz on the Core 2 Duo SL9600 — a 7.7% clock advantage for the Turion II P520. The Turion II P520 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Duo SL9600 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Turion II P520 scores 2,047 against the Core 2 Duo SL9600's 2,054 — a 0.3% lead for the Core 2 Duo SL9600.
| Feature | Turion II P520 | Core 2 Duo SL9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.3 GHz+8% | 2.13 GHz |
| Base Clock | — | 2.13 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 6 MB L2 Cache |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 6 MB+200% |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Champlain (2010−2011) | Penryn (2008−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,047 | 2,054 |
Memory & Platform
The Turion II P520 uses the S1g4 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo SL9600 uses BGA956 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Turion II P520 | Core 2 Duo SL9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1g4 | BGA956 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Turion II P520) / VT-x, VT-d (Core 2 Duo SL9600). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo SL9600 targets Mobile.
| Feature | Turion II P520 | Core 2 Duo SL9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Mobile |
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