Xeon E5502 vs Core 2 Duo T7200

CPU

GPU

Xeon E5502

2 Cores2 Thrd80 WWMax: 1.87 GHz2009

Core 2 Duo T7200

2 Cores2 Thrd4 WWMax: 2 GHz2006

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Xeon E5502

2 / 2

1,725

+0.5%

1,717

0.0%

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 E5502 is positioned at rank 893 and the Core 2 Duo T7200 is on rank 29, so the Core 2 Duo T7200 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

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

Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5502

Xeon Platinum 8454H

MSRP: $6540|Avg: N/A

22639%

Xeon Gold 6240R

MSRP: $2444|Avg: N/A

4274%

#10

Xeon 6337P

MSRP: $60|Avg: $5

3798%

#15

EPYC 9174F

MSRP: $194|Avg: $30

2934%

#502

Xeon Platinum 8362

MSRP: $6236|Avg: $5740

99%

#503

Xeon W-3275M

MSRP: $4449|Avg: $4449

99%

#504

Xeon E5-2660 v3

MSRP: $1445|Avg: $150

98%

#505

Xeon E5-2679 v4

MSRP: $2702|Avg: $500

97%

#506

Xeon E5-2680 v3

MSRP: $1745|Avg: $212

93%

#507

Xeon Platinum 8562Y+

MSRP: $5945|Avg: $7000

92%

#508

Xeon E7-8895 v2

MSRP: $6841|Avg: $65

91%

#893

Xeon E5502

MSRP: $188|Avg: $39

100%

#898

Xeon W-2225

MSRP: $1166|Avg: $150

97%

#899

Xeon E5-2650L v3

MSRP: $1329|Avg: N/A

97%

#906

Xeon E5405

MSRP: $209|Avg: $15

91%

#907

Xeon E5-2440

MSRP: $728|Avg: $249

91%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo T7200

#17

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

171%

#18

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

168%

#19

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

155%

#20

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

154%

#21

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

152%

#23

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

147%

#24

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

141%

#25

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

141%

#26

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

137%

#29

Core 2 Duo T7200

MSRP: $286|Avg: $6

100%

#30

Core i5-3230M

MSRP: $225|Avg: $13

100%

#31

Atom D525

MSRP: $63|Avg: N/A

99%

#32

Atom x7835RE

MSRP: $127|Avg: N/A

99%

#33

Core 2 Duo P8400

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

97%

#38

Core 2 Duo T8100

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

90%

#39

Atom 330

MSRP: $43|Avg: $30

89%

#43

Core 2 Duo SU7300

MSRP: $289|Avg: N/A

87%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Use Case Distinction: This is a comparison between a Professional Workstation processor ($39) and a Consumer Desktop CPU. The Xeon E5502 is engineered for massive parallel workloads (rendering, scientific simulations), offering significantly higher core counts.

Insight	Xeon E5502	Core 2 Duo T7200
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($39)	✅ More affordable ($6)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Merom (2006−2008) / 65 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core 2 Duo T7200 ($6), however, is optimized for mixed workloads and gaming. For most users, it offers superior single-thread performance and responsiveness at a fraction of the cost ($33 less, 85% cheaper), making it the better choice for daily use and gaming.

Insight	Xeon E5502	Core 2 Duo T7200
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+547%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($39)	✅ More affordable ($6)

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.

Xeon E5502 Benchmark Check

Core 2 Duo T7200 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Xeon E5502 and Core 2 Duo T7200

Xeon E5502

The Xeon E5502 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 March 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.86 GHz, with boost up to 1.87 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,725 points. Launch price was $95.

Core 2 Duo T7200

The Core 2 Duo T7200 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 28 July 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the Merom (2006−2008) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 34 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,717 points. Launch price was $286.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Xeon E5502 and Core 2 Duo T7200 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.87 GHz on the Xeon E5502 versus 2 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T7200 — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo T7200 (base: 1.86 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Xeon E5502 uses the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Duo T7200 uses Merom (2006−2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Xeon E5502 scores 1,725 against the Core 2 Duo T7200's 1,717 — a 0.5% lead for the Xeon E5502. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Xeon E5502 vs 0 kB on the Core 2 Duo T7200.

Feature	Xeon E5502	Core 2 Duo T7200
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.87 GHz	2 GHz+7%
Base Clock	1.86 GHz	2 GHz+8%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	0 kB
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	4 MB+1500%
Process	45 nm-31%	65 nm
Architecture	Gainestown (2009−2010)	Merom (2006−2008)
PassMark	1,725	1,717
Geekbench 6 Single	200	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	800	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Xeon E5502 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo T7200 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-800 on the Xeon E5502 versus DDR2-667 on the Core 2 Duo T7200 — the Xeon E5502 supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Memory channels: 3 (Xeon E5502) vs 2 (Core 2 Duo T7200). Chipset compatibility: Intel 5500,Intel 5520,Intel X58 (Xeon E5502) and GM965,PM965 (Core 2 Duo T7200).

Feature	Xeon E5502	Core 2 Duo T7200
Socket	LGA1366	PGA478
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-800+50%	DDR2-667
Max RAM Capacity	144 GB	—
RAM Channels	3+50%	2
ECC Support	✅	❌
PCIe Lanes	32	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: true (Xeon E5502) vs VT-x (Core 2 Duo T7200). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo T7200 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core 2 Duo T7200 rivals Athlon 64 X2 TK-42.

Feature	Xeon E5502	Core 2 Duo T7200
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	true	VT-x
Target Use	—	Budget

💰

Value Analysis

The Xeon E5502 launched at $188 MSRP, while the Core 2 Duo T7200 debuted at $286. At current prices ($39 vs $6), the Core 2 Duo T7200 is $33 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Xeon E5502 delivers 44.2 pts/$ vs 286.2 pts/$ for the Core 2 Duo T7200 — making the Core 2 Duo T7200 the 146.5% better value option.