A9-9420e vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955

A9-9420e vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955 Performance Spectrum

A9-9420e

2 / 2

1,101

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium Extreme Edition 955

2 / 4

1,095

0.0%

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.

A9-9420e vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

A9-9420e vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

A9-9420e

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 1W instead of 130W, a 129W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R5 Graphics, while Pentium Extreme Edition 955 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Pentium Extreme Edition 955

2005

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than A9-9420e across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,095 vs 1,101).
❌Launch MSRP is still $999 MSRP, while A9-9420e mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌12900% higher power demand at 130W vs 1W.
❌No integrated graphics, while A9-9420e can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is A9-9420e better than Pentium Extreme Edition 955?

Yes. A9-9420e is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 3.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.5% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, A9-9420e is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 3.4% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, A9-9420e is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

A9-9420e is still the much better call for a fresh build. A9-9420e comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $999 MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium Extreme Edition 955 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2005 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (1.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA775.

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

A9-9420e makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2005) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

A9-9420e vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

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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

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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	No	—
PCIe Lanes	4	—

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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.