CPU
GPU
A9-9420e
Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The A9-9420e is positioned at rank 833 and the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 is on rank 1123, so the A9-9420e offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar A9-9420e
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | A9-9420e | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) / 28 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Presler (2005−2007) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | A9-9420e | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of A9-9420e and Pentium Extreme Edition 955
A9-9420e
The A9-9420e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 June 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.5 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: BGA. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,101 points. Launch price was $69.
Pentium Extreme Edition 955
The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 December 2005 (19 years ago). It is based on the Presler (2005−2007) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.466 GHz, with boost up to 0.47 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 1,095 points. Launch price was $999.
Processing Power
The A9-9420e packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Pentium Extreme Edition 955's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the A9-9420e versus 0.47 GHz on the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 — a 136.7% clock advantage for the A9-9420e. The A9-9420e uses the Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses Presler (2005−2007) (65 nm). In PassMark, the A9-9420e scores 1,101 against the Pentium Extreme Edition 955's 1,095 — a 0.5% lead for the A9-9420e.
| Feature | A9-9420e | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.5 GHz+432% | 0.47 GHz |
| Base Clock | — | 3.466 GHz |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 2 MB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 28 nm-57% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) | Presler (2005−2007) |
| PassMark | 1,101 | 1,095 |
Memory & Platform
The A9-9420e uses the BGA socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | A9-9420e | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA | LGA775 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+173% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | 2133 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 | — |
| RAM Channels | 1 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 4 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: true (A9-9420e) / not specified (Pentium Extreme Edition 955). The A9-9420e includes integrated graphics (Radeon R5 Graphics), while the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: A9-9420e rivals Pentium N4200.
| Feature | A9-9420e | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Radeon R5 Graphics | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | true | — |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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