Athlon 64 X2 3600+ vs Pentium 957

Athlon 64 X2 3600+

2 Cores2 Thrd89 WWMax: 2 GHz2005

Pentium 957

2 Cores2 Thrd17 WWMax: 1.2 GHz2011

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Athlon 64 X2 3600+

2 / 2

1,020

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium 957

2 / 2

1,015

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.

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 64 X2 3600+ is positioned at rank 1053 and the Pentium 957 is on rank 1146, so the Athlon 64 X2 3600+ offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 X2 3600+

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

45840%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

43315%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

31450%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

9475%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

7505%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

6565%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

3760%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

3711%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

3379%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

3379%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

3341%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

3251%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

3205%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

3193%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

3164%

#1053

Athlon 64 X2 3600+

MSRP: $150|Avg: $10

100%

#1054

Core 2 Duo E6420

MSRP: $183|Avg: $10

99%

#1055

Pentium D 940

MSRP: $132|Avg: $15

98%

#1056

Phenom X4 9600B

MSRP: $278|Avg: $20

98%

#1057

Phenom II X3 B77

MSRP: $281|Avg: $35

96%

#1058

Core 2 Duo E6300

MSRP: $163|Avg: $5

95%

#1059

Core 2 Duo E6400

MSRP: $183|Avg: $10

94%

#1060

Core 2 Duo E8300

MSRP: $163|Avg: $20

94%

#1061

Phenom X4 9500

MSRP: $247|Avg: $30

93%

#1062

Celeron D 352

MSRP: $69|Avg: $15

89%

#1063

Core i7-970

MSRP: $1083|Avg: $289

89%

#1064

Core i7-880

MSRP: $583|Avg: $40

86%

#1065

Pentium D 820

MSRP: $241|Avg: $20

86%

#1066

Celeron 2.10

MSRP: $49|Avg: $49

86%

#1067

Core i7-950

MSRP: $562|Avg: $15

85%

#1068

Sempron 3100+

MSRP: $65|Avg: $15

84%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium 957

#1134

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3876%

#1135

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3819%

#1136

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3506%

#1137

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3490%

#1138

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3458%

#1140

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3339%

#1141

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

3202%

#1142

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

3197%

#1143

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

3111%

#1146

Pentium 957

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

100%

#1147

Core 2 Duo SL9400

MSRP: $284|Avg: N/A

100%

#1149

Pentium N3540

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

99%

#1150

Core i7-3555LE

MSRP: $300|Avg: $280

99%

#1151

Core i3-2377M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

98%

#1152

Core 2 Duo E8435

MSRP: $150|Avg: $74

97%

#1153

Celeron M 723

MSRP: $161|Avg: $161

97%

#1154

Core i7-3517UE

MSRP: $330|Avg: $35

95%

#1155

Core M-5Y51

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1156

Pentium N3530

MSRP: $161|Avg: $20

95%

#1157

Core i3-330E

MSRP: $177|Avg: $89

94%

#1159

Core i7-2640M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

93%

#1160

Core M-5Y71

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Pentium 957 (2011) utilizes 32 nm technology and DDR3, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Athlon 64 X2 3600+	Pentium 957
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Manchester (2005−2006) / 90 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Athlon 64 X2 3600+ (2005) relies on 90 nm technology and DDR1, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Athlon 64 X2 3600+	Pentium 957
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+0%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Athlon 64 X2 3600+ Benchmark Check

Pentium 957 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Athlon 64 X2 3600+ and Pentium 957

Athlon 64 X2 3600+

The Athlon 64 X2 3600+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Manchester (2005−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Memory support: DDR1. Passmark benchmark score: 1,020 points. Launch price was $149.

Pentium 957

The Pentium 957 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.2 GHz, with boost up to 1.2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,015 points. Launch price was $134.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon 64 X2 3600+ and Pentium 957 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Athlon 64 X2 3600+ versus 1.2 GHz on the Pentium 957 — a 50% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 X2 3600+. The Athlon 64 X2 3600+ uses the Manchester (2005−2006) architecture (90 nm), while the Pentium 957 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 X2 3600+ scores 1,020 against the Pentium 957's 1,015 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon 64 X2 3600+. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon 64 X2 3600+ vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 957.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 3600+	Pentium 957
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2 GHz+67%	1.2 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.2 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	256K (per core)
Process	90 nm	32 nm-64%
Architecture	Manchester (2005−2006)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,020	1,015

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon 64 X2 3600+ uses the 939 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium 957 uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 3600+	Pentium 957
Socket	939	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-800	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Athlon 64 X2 3600+ launched at $150 MSRP, while the Pentium 957 debuted at $134. At current prices ($10 vs $10), the Pentium 957 is $0 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 X2 3600+ delivers 102.0 pts/$ vs 101.5 pts/$ for the Pentium 957 — making the Athlon 64 X2 3600+ the 0.5% better value option.