AMD Athlon 64 3200+ vs Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
The Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 is the faster chip for gaming by roughly 133%. Here is the full spec-by-spec breakdown.
| Specification | AMD Athlon 64 3200+ | Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming score | 3/100 | 7/100 |
| Tier | F | F |
| Manufacturer | AMD | Intel |
| Cores | 1 | 2 |
| Threads | 1 | 2 |
| Base clock | 2 GHz | 2.4 GHz |
| Boost clock | 2 GHz | 2.4 GHz |
| Power draw (TDP) | 89 W | 65 W |
| Release year | 2004 | 2006 |
Which should you buy?
For gaming specifically, the Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 is the better buy — it holds a 133% lead in our index, which shows up most at 1080p and in CPU-bound titles like strategy and simulation games. The Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 has more cores (2 vs 1), which helps if you stream, compile or render alongside playing. The Intel Core 2 Duo E6600 runs 24W cooler, meaning a cheaper cooler and less case heat. Either way, pair it with a graphics card of similar standing — check the bottleneck calculator before you buy.