
Athlon 64 FX-55

Athlon 64 FX-57
Athlon 64 FX-55 vs Athlon 64 FX-57 Performance Spectrum
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.
Athlon 64 FX-55 vs Athlon 64 FX-57 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.

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Valorant

Among Us

Apex Legends

Civilization VI

Cyberpunk 2077

Deadlock
Athlon 64 FX-55 vs Athlon 64 FX-57: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict
See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.
Athlon 64 FX-55
2004Why buy it
- ✅Costs $204 less on MSRP ($827 MSRP vs $1,031 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 19.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 0.8 vs 0.7 PassMark/$ ($827 MSRP vs $1,031 MSRP).
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon 64 FX-57 across 29 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (690 vs 720).
Athlon 64 FX-57
2005Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +5.3% higher average FPS across 29 shared CPU benchmark tests.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 0.7 vs 0.8 PassMark/$ ($1,031 MSRP vs $827 MSRP).
Quick Answers
So, is Athlon 64 FX-57 better than Athlon 64 FX-55?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Athlon 64 FX-55 vs Athlon 64 FX-57 Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Athlon 64 FX-55
The Athlon 64 FX-55 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 10 October 2004 (21 years ago). It is based on the Clawhammer (2001−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 104 Watt. Memory support: DDR1 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 690 points. Launch price was $180.

Athlon 64 FX-57
The Athlon 64 FX-57 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the San Diego (2001−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 104 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 720 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon 64 FX-55 and Athlon 64 FX-57 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon 64 FX-55 versus 2.8 GHz on the Athlon 64 FX-57 — a 7.4% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 FX-57. The Athlon 64 FX-55 uses the Clawhammer (2001−2005) architecture (130 nm), while the Athlon 64 FX-57 uses San Diego (2001−2005) (90 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 FX-55 scores 690 against the Athlon 64 FX-57's 720 — a 4.3% lead for the Athlon 64 FX-57. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon 64 FX-55 | Athlon 64 FX-57 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz | 2.8 GHz+8% |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Process | 130 nm | 90 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Clawhammer (2001−2005) | San Diego (2001−2005) |
| PassMark | 690 | 720+4% |
Memory & Platform
Both processors use the 939 socket with PCIe 1.1. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR1-400 on the Athlon 64 FX-55 versus DDR-400 on the Athlon 64 FX-57 — the Athlon 64 FX-55 supports -200% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 4 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: nForce3,nForce4,Xpress 200 (Athlon 64 FX-55) and AMD 939 (Athlon 64 FX-57).
| Feature | Athlon 64 FX-55 | Athlon 64 FX-57 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | 939 | 939 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR1-400 | DDR-400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | No | No |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 0 |
Value Analysis
At launch, the Athlon 64 FX-55 was priced at $827, while the Athlon 64 FX-57 came in at $1031. On launch pricing ($827 vs $1031), Athlon 64 FX-55 was $204 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 FX-55 delivers 0.8 pts/$ vs 0.7 pts/$ for the Athlon 64 FX-57 — making the Athlon 64 FX-55 the 17.7% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon 64 FX-55 | Athlon 64 FX-57 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $827-20% | $1031 |
| Performance per Dollar | 0.8+14% | 0.7 |
| Release Date | 2004 | 2005 |
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