Athlon 64 FX-55 vs Pentium SU4100

Athlon 64 FX-55 vs Pentium SU4100 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 FX-55

1 / 1

690

+0.7%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium SU4100

2 / 2

685

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.

Athlon 64 FX-55 vs Pentium SU4100 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.

Athlon 64 FX-55 vs Pentium SU4100: 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

2004

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 0.8 vs 2.4 PassMark/$ ($827 MSRP vs $289 MSRP).
❌940% higher power demand at 104W vs 10W.

Pentium SU4100

2009

Why buy it

✅Costs $538 less on MSRP ($289 MSRP vs $827 MSRP).
✅Delivers 184.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 2.4 vs 0.8 PassMark/$ ($289 MSRP vs $827 MSRP).
✅Draws 10W instead of 104W, a 94W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (685 vs 690).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 64 FX-55 better than Pentium SU4100?

Yes. Athlon 64 FX-55 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.7% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon 64 FX-55 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.4% 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, Athlon 64 FX-55 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.

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

Athlon 64 FX-55 is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Athlon 64 FX-55 comes in 186.2% more expensive on MSRP at $827 MSRP versus $289 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium SU4100 only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 0.4% in the shared gaming data.

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

Pentium SU4100 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2009 vs 2004). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon 64 FX-55 vs Pentium SU4100 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.

Pentium SU4100

The Pentium SU4100 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 1.3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: BGA956. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 685 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon 64 FX-55 packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Pentium SU4100 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Pentium SU4100 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon 64 FX-55 versus 1.3 GHz on the Pentium SU4100 — a 66.7% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 FX-55 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1.3 GHz). The Athlon 64 FX-55 uses the Clawhammer (2001−2005) architecture (130 nm), while the Pentium SU4100 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 FX-55 scores 690 against the Pentium SU4100's 685 — a 0.7% lead for the Athlon 64 FX-55. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-55	Pentium SU4100
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	2 / 2+100%
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz+100%	1.3 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+100%	1.3 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB+100%
Process	130 nm	45 nm-65%
Architecture	Clawhammer (2001−2005)	Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark	690	685

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon 64 FX-55 uses the 939 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium SU4100 uses BGA956 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-55	Pentium SU4100
Socket	939	BGA956
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR1-400	—
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 64 FX-55 was priced at $827, while the Pentium SU4100 came in at $289. On launch pricing ($827 vs $289), Pentium SU4100 was $538 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 FX-55 delivers 0.8 pts/$ vs 2.4 pts/$ for the Pentium SU4100 — making the Pentium SU4100 the 95.9% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-55	Pentium SU4100
MSRP	$827	$289-65%
Performance per Dollar	0.8	2.4+200%
Release Date	2004	2009

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