Which is Better: Core 2 Duo vs Intel Core i5?

Mihai Negrean

Feb 1, 2023 — 4 min read

The Core 2 Duo is a processor family released on July 26, 2006. I will be using the latest released model, the Core 2 Duo E8600, for these comparisons.

The first comparison will be between the aforementioned Core 2 Duo and an Intel i5-760, a processor from nearly the same time as the Core 2.

Then will be a comparison between the Core 2 and an Intel i5-2550K, a processor from the time when the Core 2 was discontinued.

Finally, will be a comparison between the Core 2 and the i5-13600K, the latest i5, released in Q3 '22.

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Overall, the Core i5s all have better performance than the Core 2 Duo. This is because of higher clock speeds, more CPU cache, and more cores.

The i5s have at least 4 cores/4 threads, and the newest one, the 13600K, has 14 cores/20 threads.

Core 2 Duo E8600 VS Core i5-760

First off is the Intel Core 2 Duo and the Core i5-760.

Core 2 Duo

The Core 2 Duo processor has a base CPU clock speed of 3.3 GHz, no turbo speed, and, as advertised, 2 cores/2 threads (abbreviated as c/t).

It fits into an LGA775 socket on desktop motherboards. The processor has 128 KB of L1 cache per core [totaling to 256 KB] and 6 MB of shared L2 cache. The processor has a max TDP of 65 watts. It supports up to 16 GB of DDR3 RAM in dual channel. The processor is built on the 45 nm Wolfdale platform. It was released in Q3 of 2008.

Core i5-760

In Q1 of 2010, Intel introduced the Core i5-760, which has a base clock speed of 2.8 GHz and boosts up to 3.3.

However, it has 4c/4t and fits into an LGA1156 socket.

The processor has 256 KB of L1 Cache per core [t=1MB], 1 MB of L2 cache per core [t=4MB], and 8 MB of shared L3 cache.

This processor has a max TDP of 95 watts and supports up to 16 GB of DDR3 RAM, also in dual channel.

This processor is built on the 45 nm Lynnfield platform.

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In this case, the Intel Core i5 processor will perform better than the Core 2 Duo due to the similar clock speeds but twice as many cores and threads.

Since this processor is ancient, it isn't so expensive and costs about $20.

If you're interested in building a very cheap but decent machine, you can buy one of these for the same amount of money as an Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 or E8600.

However, since this processor is from a much older generation, it won't get any more driver updates.

Core 2 Duo E8600 VS Core i5-2550K

The Core i5-2550K, released in Q1 of 2012 is another important addition to this list.

Core i5-2550K

This CPU has a base clock of 3.2 GHz and boosts up to 3.8 GHz.

Again, it has 4c/4t and fits into an LGA1155 socket. It has 256KB of L1 cache per core [t=1MB], 1 MB of L2 cache per core [t=4MB] and 6 MB of shared L3 cache.

Like its Core i5-760 predecessor, it has a TDP of 95 watts, however, it supports up to 32 GB of DDR3 RAM in dual channel. It is built on the 32nm Sandy Bridge platform.

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Since the Core i5-2550K supports much more RAM and has a higher turbo speed, it will be faster than the Core 2 Duo.

Also, this processor is built on 32nm instead of 45nm, which means it will be much more power efficient than the Core 2 duo.

However, since both of these processors are ancient, they will not be as useful as some of the newer ones like the Core i5-13600K.

Core 2 Duo E8600 VS Core i5-13600K

The Core i5-13600K is an absolute beast of a CPU.

Core i5-13600K

Released in Q3 of 2022, this CPU has a base P-Core clock of 3.5 GHz and a max turbo clock of 5.1GHzm, and a base E-Core clock of 2.6 GHz and a max E-Core clock of 3.9 GHz.

It has a whopping 14c/20t and fits into an FCLGA1700 socket. It has 2,560KB of L1 cache per core [t=35.84MB], 16 MB of L2 cache per core [t=224MB], and 24MB of shared L3 cache.

It has a max TDP of 181 Watts and supports DDR4 and dual-channel DDR5 RAM. It is built on the 10nm Raptor Lake platform.

This processor is the best one on this list, because of the MUCH higher specs. However, it is way more expensive than either of the other processors on the list.

It is also the newest processor and has the best power efficiency of the lot.

However, when under load, it can also consume more power than the other two processors.

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If you need the most power and performance, then this is the processor for you. However, if you are on a budget or don't need top-of-the-line performance, then the other options might be better suited to your needs.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Intel Core i5 processors offer more power, performance and efficiency than the older Core 2 Duo processor.

Users who need top-of-the-line performance should consider the Core i5-13600K, while users who are on a budget can opt for either the Core i5-760 or the Core i5-2550K.

Depending on the user's needs and budget, there is a range of Intel Core i5 processors that can provide excellent performance and value.