Intel Core i3-2120 vs Intel Core 2 Duo E6420

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i3-2120 and Intel Core 2 Duo E6420 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

Intel Core i3-2120

Intel Core 2 Duo E6420

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i3-2120

CPU is newer: launch date 3 year(s) 10 month(s) later
Around 55% higher clock speed: 3.3 GHz vs 2.13 GHz
Around 15% higher maximum core temperature: 69.1°C vs 60.1°C
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 65 nm
2x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
Around 92% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1510 vs 785
2.6x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 1953 vs 760
Around 95% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 577 vs 296
2.3x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1265 vs 541

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	February 2011 vs April 2007
Maximum frequency	3.3 GHz vs 2.13 GHz
Maximum core temperature	69.1°C vs 60.1°C
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 65 nm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core) vs 64 KB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1510 vs 785
PassMark - CPU mark	1953 vs 760
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	577 vs 296
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1265 vs 541

Reasons to consider the Intel Core 2 Duo E6420

8x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later

L2 cache	4096 KB vs 256 KB (per core)

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i3-2120
CPU 2: Intel Core 2 Duo E6420

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1510

785

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1953

760

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

577

296

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1265

541

Name	Intel Core i3-2120	Intel Core 2 Duo E6420
PassMark - Single thread mark	1510	785
PassMark - CPU mark	1953	760
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	577	296
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1265	541
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	0
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	0.073
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	35.45
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.227
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	0.999
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	2.296

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i3-2120	Intel Core 2 Duo E6420
Essentials
Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge	Conroe
Launch date	February 2011	April 2007
Launch price (MSRP)	$95
Place in performance rating	2805	2816
Price now	$30	$49.99
Processor Number	i3-2120	E6420
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Launched	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	38.51	8.02
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.30 GHz	2.13 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI	1066 MHz FSB
Die size	131 mm	143 mm2
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	64 KB
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	4096 KB
L3 cache	3072 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	65 nm
Maximum core temperature	69.1°C	60.1°C
Maximum frequency	3.3 GHz	2.13 GHz
Number of cores	2	2
Number of threads	4
Transistor count	504 million	291 million
VID voltage range		0.8500V-1.5V
Memory
Max memory channels	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	21 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066/1333	DDR1, DDR2, DDR3
Graphics
Device ID	0x102
Graphics base frequency	850 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency	1.10 GHz
Graphics max frequency	1.1 GHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Intel® InTru™ 3D technology
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Processor graphics	Intel® HD Graphics 2000
Graphics interfaces
Number of displays supported	2
Wireless Display (WiDi) support
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1155	PLGA775
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt	65 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	16
PCI Express revision	2.0
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Fast Memory Access
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
FSB parity
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)