Athlon 64 X2 5400+ vs Core 2 Duo SU9400

Athlon 64 X2 5400+ vs Core 2 Duo SU9400 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 X2 5400+

2 / 2

1,585

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core 2 Duo SU9400

2 / 2

1,596

+0.7%

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 X2 5400+ vs Core 2 Duo SU9400 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 X2 5400+ vs Core 2 Duo SU9400: 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 X2 5400+

2006

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,585 vs 1,596).
❌Launch MSRP is still $485 MSRP, while Core 2 Duo SU9400 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2866.7% higher power demand at 89W vs 3W.

Core 2 Duo SU9400

2008

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 3W instead of 89W, a 86W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Core 2 Duo SU9400 better than Athlon 64 X2 5400+?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon 64 X2 5400+ is ahead with a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core 2 Duo SU9400 pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core 2 Duo SU9400 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Core 2 Duo SU9400 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Core 2 Duo SU9400 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $485 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% better PassMark. Athlon 64 X2 5400+ only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2006 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (3.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on AM2.

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

Core 2 Duo SU9400 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2008 vs 2006) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon 64 X2 5400+ vs Core 2 Duo SU9400 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon 64 X2 5400+

The Athlon 64 X2 5400+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Windsor (2006−2007) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: AM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,585 points. Launch price was $149.

Core 2 Duo SU9400

The Core 2 Duo SU9400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 August 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 1.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 3 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: BGA956. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,596 points. Launch price was $262.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon 64 X2 5400+ and Core 2 Duo SU9400 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Athlon 64 X2 5400+ versus 1.4 GHz on the Core 2 Duo SU9400 — a 66.7% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 X2 5400+. The Athlon 64 X2 5400+ uses the Windsor (2006−2007) architecture (90 nm), while the Core 2 Duo SU9400 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 X2 5400+ scores 1,585 against the Core 2 Duo SU9400's 1,596 — a 0.7% lead for the Core 2 Duo SU9400. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon 64 X2 5400+ vs 3 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo SU9400.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 5400+	Core 2 Duo SU9400
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz+100%	1.4 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.4 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB L2 Cache
L2 Cache	512 kB	3 MB+500%
Process	90 nm	45 nm-50%
Architecture	Windsor (2006−2007)	Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark	1,585	1,596

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon 64 X2 5400+ uses the AM2 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core 2 Duo SU9400 uses BGA956 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.