Athlon 5350 vs Core 2 Extreme QX9300
Athlon 5350
Core 2 Extreme QX9300
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 Athlon 5350 is positioned at rank 564 and the Core 2 Extreme QX9300 is on rank 924, so the Athlon 5350 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 5350
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Extreme QX9300
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon 5350 | Core 2 Extreme QX9300 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Kabini (2013−2014) / 28 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon 5350 | Core 2 Extreme QX9300 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 Athlon 5350 and Core 2 Extreme QX9300
Athlon 5350
The Athlon 5350 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Kabini (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.05 GHz, with boost up to 2.05 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,796 points. Launch price was $149.
Core 2 Extreme QX9300
The Core 2 Extreme QX9300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 2.53 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 12 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,805 points. Launch price was $249.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon 5350 and Core 2 Extreme QX9300 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.05 GHz on the Athlon 5350 versus 2.53 GHz on the Core 2 Extreme QX9300 — a 21% clock advantage for the Core 2 Extreme QX9300 (base: 2.05 GHz vs 2.53 GHz). The Athlon 5350 uses the Kabini (2013−2014) architecture (28 nm), while the Core 2 Extreme QX9300 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 5350 scores 1,796 against the Core 2 Extreme QX9300's 1,805 — a 0.5% lead for the Core 2 Extreme QX9300.
| Feature | Athlon 5350 | Core 2 Extreme QX9300 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.05 GHz | 2.53 GHz+23% |
| Base Clock | 2.05 GHz | 2.53 GHz+23% |
| L3 Cache | — | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2048 kB | 12 MB+500% |
| Process | 28 nm-38% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Kabini (2013−2014) | Penryn (2008−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,796 | 1,805 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 223 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 708 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon 5350 uses the AM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Extreme QX9300 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon 5350 | Core 2 Extreme QX9300 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM1 | PGA478 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | 1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 | — |
| RAM Channels | 1 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 8 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: true (Athlon 5350) / not specified (Core 2 Extreme QX9300). The Athlon 5350 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R3 Graphics), while the Core 2 Extreme QX9300 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Athlon 5350 rivals Pentium J2900.
| Feature | Athlon 5350 | Core 2 Extreme QX9300 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Radeon R3 Graphics | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | true | — |
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