Athlon II X2 210e vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Athlon II X2 210e
Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 II X2 210e is positioned at rank 837 and the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 is on rank 1123, so the Athlon II X2 210e offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 210e
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 210e | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($28) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Presler (2005−2007) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 210e | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+78%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($28) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon II X2 210e and Pentium Extreme Edition 955
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 | ❌ | — |
| 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
The Athlon II X2 210e launched at $60 MSRP, while the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 debuted at $999. At current prices ($28 vs $50), the Athlon II X2 210e is $22 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 210e delivers 38.9 pts/$ vs 21.9 pts/$ for the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 — making the Athlon II X2 210e the 55.9% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 210e | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $60-94% | $999 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $28-44% | $50 |
| Performance per Dollar | 38.9+78% | 21.9 |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2005 |
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