Xeon E5430 vs Core 2 Duo T6500
Xeon E5430
Core 2 Duo T6500
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 Xeon E5430 is positioned at rank 833 and the Core 2 Duo T6500 is on rank 178, so the Core 2 Duo T6500 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5430
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo T6500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Xeon E5430 | Core 2 Duo T6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Harpertown (2007−2008) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Xeon E5430 | Core 2 Duo T6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 Xeon E5430 and Core 2 Duo T6500
Xeon E5430
The Xeon E5430 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 November 2007 (18 years ago). It is based on the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 0.67 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA771. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 2,256 points. Launch price was $455.
Core 2 Duo T6500
The Core 2 Duo T6500 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 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 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: 2,249 points. Launch price was $249.
Processing Power
The Xeon E5430 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core 2 Duo T6500 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Xeon E5430 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 0.67 GHz on the Xeon E5430 versus 2.1 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T6500 — a 103.2% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo T6500 (base: 2.66 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Xeon E5430 uses the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Duo T6500 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5430 scores 2,256 against the Core 2 Duo T6500's 2,249 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon E5430. L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon E5430 vs 2 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T6500.
| Feature | Xeon E5430 | Core 2 Duo T6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 0.67 GHz | 2.1 GHz+213% |
| Base Clock | 2.66 GHz+27% | 2.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 12 MB L2 Cache+500% | 2 MB L2 Cache |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB (total)+200% | 2 MB |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Harpertown (2007−2008) | Penryn (2008−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,256 | 2,249 |
Memory & Platform
The Xeon E5430 uses the LGA771 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo T6500 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Xeon E5430 | Core 2 Duo T6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA771 | PGA478 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR2-800 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Xeon E5430) / false (Core 2 Duo T6500).
| Feature | Xeon E5430 | Core 2 Duo T6500 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | false |
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