Core i5-2300 vs Phenom II X6 1075T

CPU

GPU

Core i5-2300

4 Cores4 Thrd95 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2011

Popular choices:

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Phenom II X6 1075T

6 Cores6 Thrd125 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2010

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-2300

4 / 4

3,475

0.0%

3,500

+0.7%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i5-2300

2011

Why buy it

✅Costs $68 less on MSRP ($177 MSRP vs $245 MSRP).
✅Delivers 37.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 19.6 vs 14.3 PassMark/$ ($177 MSRP vs $245 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 125W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics 2000, while Phenom II X6 1075T needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (516 vs 679).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (1,515 vs 1,960).

Phenom II X6 1075T

2010

Why buy it

✅+31.6% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.3 vs 19.6 PassMark/$ ($245 MSRP vs $177 MSRP).
❌31.6% higher power demand at 125W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-2300 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-2300

2011

Phenom II X6 1075T

2010

Why buy it

✅Costs $68 less on MSRP ($177 MSRP vs $245 MSRP).
✅Delivers 37.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 19.6 vs 14.3 PassMark/$ ($177 MSRP vs $245 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 125W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics 2000, while Phenom II X6 1075T needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅+31.6% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (516 vs 679).
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (1,515 vs 1,960).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 14.3 vs 19.6 PassMark/$ ($245 MSRP vs $177 MSRP).
❌31.6% higher power demand at 125W vs 95W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-2300 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Phenom II X6 1075T better than Core i5-2300?

Yes. Phenom II X6 1075T is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 2.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 29.4% better Geekbench multi-core, and 0.7% higher PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Phenom II X6 1075T is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 2.3% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X6 1075T is the better fit. You are getting 29.4% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 6 cores and 6 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Phenom II X6 1075T is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Phenom II X6 1075T is 38.4% more expensive on MSRP at $245 MSRP versus $177 MSRP, and it gives you a 2.3% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-2300 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2011 platform. Even with 37.4% better value on paper (19.6 vs 14.3 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1155.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-2300 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2011 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

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.

Core i5-2300 Benchmark Check

Phenom II X6 1075T Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-2300	Phenom II X6 1075T
1080p
low	87 FPS	88 FPS
medium	87 FPS	88 FPS
high	87 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	83 FPS	88 FPS
1440p
low	87 FPS	88 FPS
medium	87 FPS	88 FPS
high	86 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	69 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	62 FPS
medium	55 FPS	56 FPS
high	43 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	34 FPS

Open Core i5-2300 Open Phenom II X6 1075T

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-2300	Phenom II X6 1075T
1080p
low	87 FPS	88 FPS
medium	87 FPS	88 FPS
high	87 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	88 FPS
1440p
low	87 FPS	88 FPS
medium	87 FPS	88 FPS
high	87 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	88 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	88 FPS
medium	87 FPS	88 FPS
high	71 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	50 FPS	72 FPS

Open Core i5-2300 Open Phenom II X6 1075T

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-2300	Phenom II X6 1075T
1080p
low	87 FPS	88 FPS
medium	87 FPS	88 FPS
high	87 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	88 FPS
1440p
low	87 FPS	88 FPS
medium	87 FPS	88 FPS
high	87 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	88 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	88 FPS
medium	87 FPS	88 FPS
high	87 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	88 FPS

Open Core i5-2300 Open Phenom II X6 1075T

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-2300	Phenom II X6 1075T
1080p
low	87 FPS	88 FPS
medium	87 FPS	88 FPS
high	87 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	88 FPS
1440p
low	87 FPS	88 FPS
medium	87 FPS	88 FPS
high	87 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	88 FPS
4K
low	87 FPS	88 FPS
medium	87 FPS	88 FPS
high	87 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	87 FPS	88 FPS

Open Core i5-2300 Open Phenom II X6 1075T

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-2300 and Phenom II X6 1075T

Core i5-2300

The Core i5-2300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 9 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 6144 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,475 points. Launch price was $168.

Phenom II X6 1075T

The Phenom II X6 1075T is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Thuban (2010) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,500 points. Launch price was $260.

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Processing Power

The Core i5-2300 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X6 1075T offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the Phenom II X6 1075T has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Core i5-2300 versus 3.5 GHz on the Phenom II X6 1075T — a 12.1% clock advantage for the Phenom II X6 1075T (base: 2.8 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i5-2300 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Phenom II X6 1075T uses Thuban (2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-2300 scores 3,475 against the Phenom II X6 1075T's 3,500 — a 0.7% lead for the Phenom II X6 1075T. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 516 vs 679, a 27.3% lead for the Phenom II X6 1075T that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,515 vs 1,960 (25.6% advantage for the Phenom II X6 1075T). L3 cache: 6144 kB (total) on the Core i5-2300 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X6 1075T.

Feature	Core i5-2300	Phenom II X6 1075T
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	6 / 6+50%
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz	3.5 GHz+13%
Base Clock	2.8 GHz	3 GHz+7%
L3 Cache	6144 kB (total)	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Thuban (2010)
PassMark	3,475	3,500
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	1,896
Geekbench 6 Single	516	679+32%
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,515	1,960+29%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i5-2300 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X6 1075T uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: H61,P67,Z68,Z77 (Core i5-2300) and 880G,890GX,890FX,970,990FX (Phenom II X6 1075T).

Feature	Core i5-2300	Phenom II X6 1075T
Socket	LGA1155	AM3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: Yes (Core i5-2300) vs AMD-V (Phenom II X6 1075T). The Core i5-2300 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 2000), while the Phenom II X6 1075T requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Phenom II X6 1075T targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Phenom II X6 1075T rivals Core i5-750.

Feature	Core i5-2300	Phenom II X6 1075T
Integrated GPU	Yes	No
IGPU Model	Intel HD Graphics 2000	—
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	Yes	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Gaming

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-2300 launched at $177 MSRP, while the Phenom II X6 1075T debuted at $245. On MSRP ($177 vs $245), the Core i5-2300 is $68 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-2300 delivers 19.6 pts/$ vs 14.3 pts/$ for the Phenom II X6 1075T — making the Core i5-2300 the 31.5% better value option.