Athlon II X2 210e vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955

Athlon II X2 210e vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X2 210e

2 / 2

1,089

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium Extreme Edition 955

2 / 4

1,095

+0.6%

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 II X2 210e vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955 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 II X2 210e vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon II X2 210e

2010

Why buy it

✅Costs $939 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1555.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 18.1 vs 1.1 PassMark/$ ($60 MSRP vs $999 MSRP).
✅Draws 45W instead of 130W, a 85W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (true), unlike Pentium Extreme Edition 955.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,089 vs 1,095).

Pentium Extreme Edition 955

2005

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 1.1 vs 18.1 PassMark/$ ($999 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).
❌188.9% higher power demand at 130W vs 45W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 210e.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X2 210e better than Pentium Extreme Edition 955?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X2 210e is ahead with a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Extreme Edition 955 pulls ahead with 0.6% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Extreme Edition 955 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon II X2 210e is the better buy right now. Athlon II X2 210e comes in $939 cheaper on MSRP at $60 MSRP versus $999 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Pentium Extreme Edition 955 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.6% better PassMark. It is also 1555.9% better value on MSRP (18.1 vs 1.1 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Athlon II X2 210e makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2005). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X2 210e vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X2 210e

The Athlon II X2 210e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,089 points. Launch price was $149.

Pentium Extreme Edition 955

The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 December 2005 (19 years ago). It is based on the Presler (2005−2007) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.466 GHz, with boost up to 0.47 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 1,095 points. Launch price was $999.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon II X2 210e packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Pentium Extreme Edition 955's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 210e versus 0.47 GHz on the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 — a 138.8% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 210e (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.466 GHz). The Athlon II X2 210e uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses Presler (2005−2007) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 210e scores 1,089 against the Pentium Extreme Edition 955's 1,095 — a 0.5% lead for the Pentium Extreme Edition 955.

Feature	Athlon II X2 210e	Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz+453%	0.47 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	3.466 GHz+33%
L3 Cache	0 kB	—
L2 Cache	512 kB	2 MB (per core)+300%
Process	45 nm-31%	65 nm
Architecture	Regor (2009−2013)	Presler (2005−2007)
PassMark	1,089	1,095

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 210e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II X2 210e	Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Socket	AM3	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Athlon II X2 210e) / not specified (Pentium Extreme Edition 955). Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 210e rivals Pentium E5300.

Feature	Athlon II X2 210e	Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Integrated GPU	No	—
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	true	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X2 210e was priced at $60, while the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 came in at $999. On launch pricing ($60 vs $999), Athlon II X2 210e was $939 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 210e delivers 18.1 pts/$ vs 1.1 pts/$ for the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 — making the Athlon II X2 210e the 177.2% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X2 210e	Pentium Extreme Edition 955
MSRP	$60-94%	$999
Performance per Dollar	18.1+1545%	1.1
Release Date	2010	2005

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