Core 2 Duo Prices in 2021

Header credit – Digmorepaka <3

Old version here : https://dankpads.com/2018/11/23/core-2-duo-laptop-cpu-prices/
This version added 17 more CPUs, some shit some OK. The format will be similar like previous post, but with some changes. The wording will be most likely the same, so go straight to Google sheets or the graphs. Italicized text will be what’s added to this guide.

Processor compatibility guide:

Dell Inspiron 1545
ThinkPad T61 Wiki

Prices research completed as of 6/17/2021

• 70-ish price estimates in this guide
  • 19 chips added…. but some shit
• 8 CPUs made for iMacs
  • E8135 SLAQA, SLG8W, & SLGEW
  • E8235 SLAQB
  • E8335 SLAQC & SLGEB
  • E8435 SLAQD & SLGEA
• 8 Txxxx w/ 800MHz FSB – all pretty meh
  • T5250
  • T5270
  • T5670
  • T5870
  • T7250
  • T6400
  • T6900
  • T6970
• 3 T5xxx w/ 667MHz FSB – slow garbo
  • T5500
  • T5600
  • T5750

Anyone still using Core 2 Duo laptop in 2018 2021? Wait why?

There are quite a few awesome laptops during this era. So good that a few forum members from the Chinese site 51nb wanted to make modern motherboards for ThinkPads. The T61 and X61 had custom made motherboards to use 7th Gen CPUs. However these motherboards cost $400+ new, there was a small production run, you had to be on a waitlist up to a year, you had to modify the board & it didn’t have the greatest quality control.

CPU Upgrade Paths

Not all of these CPU are drop ins. Here is what I can gather without going thru hardware or pin modding.

• Some CPU upgrades will need a BIOS update first
• “Napa” Core Solo/Duo (Yonah CPU) laptops that run 667MHz FSB can upgrade to “Santa Rosa” Core 2 Duo (Merom CPU) with 667MHz FSB.
• “Yonah” Core Duo are 32 bit only CPUs
• Some sources say you can upgrade “Napa” Laptops to 800MHz FSB Core 2 Duo Meroms but the FSB will limit to 667MHz & it may downclock its power.
• Laptops with Socket P CPUs can’t be upgraded to Socket M. The pins just fit but the socket electrics are different. Are there mods? idk.
• Some Merom laptops can be upgraded to Penryn CPUs w/ 800MHz FSB.
• Check the T61 Wikia! You’ll see if your system can be upgrade to Penryn if it’s Merom based, however you can install Middleton Bios & can get more compatibility opened, but not all CPUs will be avail to use.
• Core 2 Quad & Extreme upgrades depends on motherboard revisions/BIOS & the CPU cooler. Additionally if the laptop never offered these CPUs, extensive hardware modding will be required.
• T61 and T500 can handle Quads with extensive pin solder modifications…

These CPUs have been out for about a decade, so there are loads of support forum threads to see if your laptop can take a CPU upgrade or what CPU’s just don’t work well. Getting the highest CPU clock could be nice but is it worth that price or heat output? 

Not all Mobile Core 2 Duo CPUs are included in this post, none of the BGA/Soldered CPUs are here bc… mobos cost all different prices.

Table guide

CPU – Processor name you see in the bios or when you check system specifications
sSpec – Same chip but can have different stepping (IC revisions or some shit). In rare cases laptops can’t use certain sSpecs of the same processor, this is especially so with the E8xxx CPUs, you’ll need certain sSpec for system to accept. You’ll see sSpec on the CPU chip on eBay listings, think of it like a FRU or Part Number.
GHz – the base clock of the CPU, no turbo boost here 🙂
# – How many CPUs are available at the market when I did research, but instead of seeing sold listings like on the laptop & iMac guides, I am looking at current available price!

China – Cost of chips from China, most have free shipping, idk if EU or ‘straya get free shipping. Usually the lowest prices but that damn wait time bc of boats.
Low – Low price available in USA
High – This isn’t the highest they go, but seriously should cap it from here, probably about the middle price, not sure why sellers have them higher, other than never changing the price.
EU – yurop prices, around the low/mid price from any nation there.

V10 – Passmark version 10, multicore score
1C – Passmark V10 single thread score, why isn’t it 1T? because I thought it was single core score (which it kinda is).
XPL – Passmark V10 cross platform score, Passmark has this number compiled from benchmarks that are compatible in all types of operating systems & processors, so now you can see if these Cuo 2 Duro are any good vs a new phone, tablet or the Apple M1 chip.
W – Wattage, only for the iMac CPUs

Socket M - Fits in 
      Lenovo ThinkPad T60, R60, Z61, 
      Dell Latitude D820, D620, Precision M65
      HP Compaq NC6400

Socket P w/ 667MHz or 800MHz FSB Fits in 
      ThinkPad T61, R61
      Dell Latitude D630, D830 
      HP Compaq 8510p, NC8430

Socket P w/ 1066MHz FSB fits in
      ThinkPad T400, R500, T61*
      Dell Latitude E6400, E6500, Precision M6400, M4400
      HP 6930p

Socket P Quadcore fits in
      Lenovo ThinkPad W700
      Dell Precision M4400, M6400

Some 1066Mhz Socket P can work on T61 & similar systems/rivals but it depends on bios upgrades & mobo manufacture date...

Best Passmark Multicore Score

• The only 3 Quadcores take the top 3, followed by 2 iMac CPUs with 55W TDP, then from there we got a mix of T9xxx, & Core 2 Extreme
• The T9800 is the cheapest non-hassle CPU to upgrade to
• I’m not quite sure about the iMac CPU compatibility, but search forums if your laptop got the upgrade
• The 2.5GHz i5-2520m has a multicore score of 2237, 1374 single & 4625 for cross platform, this beats out all of these machines except for the QX9300 in XPL

Best Passmark Single Thread Score

• Some of this list is strange, maybe its bc not many of these CPUs got tested under this version of software
• None of the quadcores are here, and surprisingly there are a few P9xxx chips this time

Best Passmark Cross Platform Score

• Some CPUs don’t have a score, the Q9100, X7900, X7800 & E8435 have high multicore scores and I would think they’d be here….
• More or less the same data like the multi core score
• Cross platform scores from phones…
  • 4065 iPhone 6S
  • 4841 Samsung Galaxy S6
  • 5649 Xiaomi Redmi Note 7
  • 5788 Google Pixel 3a

Socket M | Core Duo | Yonah | 31W

• These CPUs are all 32-bit!
• Top 3 of the Yonah CPUs, the others are sub 2GHz or Single Core Solos
• My T60p had a T2500, surprisingly OK with ATI graphics… in 2015
• The T2700 is still fucking expensive! $33 for barely any performance diff than the $10 T2600? Go Merom.

Socket M | Core 2 Duo | Merom | 34W

• These CPU (and all after) are 64-bit
• T5xxx have 2MB L2 Cache, T7xxx have 4MB Cache
• The first two laptops run in 533MHz FSB, the others at 667MHz
• T7200 is still the best price/performance ratio here, but T7400 not too far away.
• T7600 is the ‘fastest’ & most pricey,
• T7600G is the unlocked CPU & can be overclocked. Its passmark however is a sixth of an i7-2820qm at the same price.

Socket P | Core 2 Duo | Merom | 35W

• First three CPUs run at 667MHz FSB, the rest are 800MHz 🙂
• T7250 & below have 2MB of L2 Cache, T7300 & up have 4MB L2 Cache
• T7700 is the best price/performance, but the T7500 has a slightly higher cross platform score
• T7800 is about twice the price since 2018…

Socket P | Core 2 Extreme | Merom XE | 44W

• Both at 800MHz FSB
• Bragging rights for Core 2 Extreme sticker, which is always badass
• Consider Penryn CPUs, as these run hot & require more energy for similar performance

Socket P | Core 2 Duo | Penryn | 35W |

• These are 800MHz FSB CPUs only, slightly changed from previous post.
• T6xxx have 2MB L2 Cache, T8xxx have 3MB & T9xxx have 6MB
• T8300 imo is the best price/performance, T9300 can be costly for that 6MB Cache
• The low USD prices 2 years ago for decent upgrades was…
  • T8300 $4
  • T9300 $10
  • T9500 $21
• Their prices are pretty high, but don’t buy them to invest lol at this point parting out old laptops will be a decent price point if they got them…
• T9300 prob the best to get, unless you wanna save $10 for a .1 decrease on the T8100

• These are all 1066MHz FSB CPUs
• All of these also have 6MB of delicious L2 Cache!
• These can have higher benchmarks than Pxxxx CPUs due to higher TDP?
• T61’s can use these CPUs but with a BIOS mod & hardware mods. ThinkPad Forums Topic
• Finding a T9800 under $20 is rare, but worth it,, nvm, good fucking luck on that.
• T9600 is best price/performance & doesn’t require heavy duty heatsinks or 100% fan use. I may consider it as the best C2D Penryn CPU & 35W.
• Price change since Late 2018 for USD low
  • T9400 – $5.90 – ok no so bad
  • T9550 – $5.80 – we gucci
  • T9600 – $4.90 – …. why 3x higher? :/
  • T9800 – $12.99 – Ok its to the T9900 prices now
  • T9900 – $34.99 – LMAFO at $70+
• prices are rediculous for T9800 laptops... starting from $135 to $540! but looking at sold listings, a whole lot of them go for under $100 before shipping.

Socket P | Core 2 Duo iMac | Penryn | 35W – 55W |

• NEW list added!
• Yes there are a few different sSpecs but the same CPU, bc it’s @ different clocks or wattage
• SLAQD chip should work on laptops… at least it did with TuuS’ R500 frankenpad
  • But there was one warning here,…
• I gifted my grandma a beat up iMac, but i upgraded the CPU. Anyways, its running decently in 2021 except for facetime (but it might be from FT calls to El Salvador)

Socket P | Core 2 Duo | Penryn | 25W | Q3 2008 – Q3 2009

• These are all 1066MHz FSB
• These are the slower P7xxx CPUs, they also have a 90C max temp before shutdown…
• I don’t know if ThinkPads came with these CPUs as they are kinda low end
• also idk why the P7570 scores so shitty, it wasn’t so bad under Passmark Version 9

• These are the “better” Penryn CPUs and all have a max temp up to 105C
• These units have 3MB L2 Cache, except the bottom 3 have 6MB!
• P8800 is my recommendation for Price/Performance/Efficiency for Penryns
  • WTF it is expensive! Get the P9600 unless you wanna wait for that china P8800
• P9700 is the fastest Pxxxx but barely beats the third best Txxxx in performance, but at it’s price point, vs those, it’s best overall.

Socket P | Core 2 Extreme | Penryn XE | 44W |

• X9000 w/ 800MHz FSB, X9100 & 1066Mhz
• idk how the higher clock one has lesser Passmark scores.. but either CPUs are top performers

Socket P | Core 2 Quad & XE | Penryn | 45W | Q3 2008 – Q4 2008

• These are all 1066MHz FSB & quad cores!
• Q9300 is aka the QX9300, some laptops & people call it the former
  • Q9300 (SLAWE) is a Desktop Core 2 Quad for under $20, do not buy it by mistake!
• Q9200 is an (ES) Engineering Sample & is technically black market. Stability is at random. 
• Skip the Q9000, the L2 cache is lacking & the passmark result sorta stinks.
• Q9100 & QX9300 have overall PM scores better than: 1.73GHz i7-820qm, 1.8GHz i5-3337U, 2.3GHz i5-2410m, & 2.1GHz i3-5015U.
• Consider that newer ‘slower’ i3, i5, i7, CPUs have more instruction sets that can help programs run better than overall passmark score.

Saucey’s Old Recommendations?

These are my old recommendations…not sure why they would change, unless price fucks them up, but still, you’re probably looking for the best CPU for your laptop so price isn’t a factor 😉

First off, for a daily laptop, I still recommend something with a 2.4GHz or greater i5 from Sandy Bridge or Ivy Bridge era.

If you are thinking of getting a Core 2 Duo laptop, consider buying NOS OEM batteries a gamble, due to cell degradation from time. Even non OEM, if they don’t sell that often, chances are it’s NOS from long ago. 🙁

Third is if you want 8GB RAM; an 8GB DDR2 RAM set (2x 4GB sticks) cost from $70 to $130. If you got a later Core 2 Duo laptop, chances are it uses DDR3 RAM, which that would possibly set you back $40.

Socket M Merom
T7600 – 2.33GHz, its under $30, you’ll get the best. Nab a laptop for $30 to $70 before you consider going all out on refurbishing.

• 13″ – Black MacBook (BGA)
• 14″ – T60p 4:3
• 15″ – T60p 4:3, Z61p
• 17″ – XPS M1730, NW 9440

Socket P Merom
T7700 – 2.4GHz, just a tad lower than the pricier T7800, but its a sixth of the cost. I’d recommend going the Penryn route.
X7900 – 2.8GHz, for some reason this CPU can be bought less than the X7800, but oddly passmark shows worse scores.

Socket P Penryn
T8100 – 2.1GHz, this is the cheapest Core 2 Duo to buy.
T9300 – 2.5GHz, recommended by many from the ThinkPad Forums. Might not be the fastest, but everything faster runs way more hotter than this. 
T9500 – 2.6GHz, the best 800MHz FSB CPU. Might be the only upgrade for some T61’s, as the X9000 is 2x the cost for barely any performance boost.
T9900 – 3.07GHz, fastest Core 2 Duo CPU. Legendary, it has the best Single Core score out of all these CPUs.
P8800 – 2.67GHz, my cheap recommendation for DDR3 laptops, has a solid single core score & best under the 25W CPUs.
P9700 – 2.8GHz, nab this if you want to spend extra & want to get something cooler running than other Txxxx CPUs.
X9100 – 3.07GHz, it is cheaper than the X9000 partially due to it having a faster FSB. 

• 13″ – Unibody MacBook 2009
• 14″ – T61, E6400
• 15″ – M4400, MBP, W500
• 17″ – W700ds, 8730W, M17x R1, M6300

Socket M Core 2 Quads
Q9100 – 2.27GHz, going price for this CPU is a third of the faster QX9300, but the availability isn’t the best. 

That’s about it. If you’re thinking of getting a laptop, look at the T61, plenty of mods have been made on that thing & is still be modded to this day!