AMD Phenom 9850 vs Intel Core 2 Duo E8400
The Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 is the faster chip for gaming by roughly 67%. Here is the full spec-by-spec breakdown.
| Specification | AMD Phenom 9850 | Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming score | 6/100 | 10/100 |
| Tier | F | F |
| Manufacturer | AMD | Intel |
| Cores | 4 | 2 |
| Threads | 4 | 2 |
| Base clock | 2.5 GHz | 3 GHz |
| Boost clock | 2.5 GHz | 3 GHz |
| Power draw (TDP) | 125 W | 65 W |
| Release year | 2008 | 2008 |
Which should you buy?
For gaming specifically, the Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 is the better buy — it holds a 67% lead in our index, which shows up most at 1080p and in CPU-bound titles like strategy and simulation games. The AMD Phenom 9850 has more cores (4 vs 2), which helps if you stream, compile or render alongside playing. The Intel Core 2 Duo E8400 runs 60W 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.