CPU
GPU
Athlon II X2 255
Phenom II X2 B55
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 255 is positioned at rank 793 and the Phenom II X2 B55 is on rank 492, so the Phenom II X2 B55 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 255
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X2 B55
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 255 | Phenom II X2 B55 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Callisto (2009−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 255 | Phenom II X2 B55 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 255 and Phenom II X2 B55
Athlon II X2 255
The Athlon II X2 255 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,210 points. Launch price was $60.
Phenom II X2 B55
The Phenom II X2 B55 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Callisto (2009−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,222 points. Launch price was $48.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X2 255 and Phenom II X2 B55 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X2 255 versus 3 GHz on the Phenom II X2 B55 — a 3.3% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 255 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Athlon II X2 255 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X2 B55 uses Callisto (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 255 scores 1,210 against the Phenom II X2 B55's 1,222 — a 1% lead for the Phenom II X2 B55. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 255 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X2 B55.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 255 | Phenom II X2 B55 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.1 GHz+3% | 3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.1 GHz+3% | 3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 6 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+100% | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Callisto (2009−2010) |
| PassMark | 1,210 | 1,222 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 265 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 500 | — |
Memory & Platform
Both processors use the AM3 socket with PCIe 2.0.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 255 | Phenom II X2 B55 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 255) / not specified (Phenom II X2 B55). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 255 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 255 rivals Pentium E5700.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 255 | Phenom II X2 B55 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Legacy Desktop | — |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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