
Athlon II X4 600e vs Core 2 Duo T9550

Athlon II X4 600e

Core 2 Duo T9550
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 X4 600e is positioned at rank 842 and the Core 2 Duo T9550 is on rank 342, so the Core 2 Duo T9550 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 X4 600e
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo T9550
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X4 600e | Core 2 Duo T9550 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Propus (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X4 600e | Core 2 Duo T9550 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) | ✅ 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 X4 600e and Core 2 Duo T9550

Athlon II X4 600e
The Athlon II X4 600e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,795 points. Launch price was $130.

Core 2 Duo T9550
The Core 2 Duo T9550 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,804 points. Launch price was $316.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X4 600e packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core 2 Duo T9550 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon II X4 600e has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Athlon II X4 600e versus 2.66 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T9550 — a 18.9% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo T9550 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.66 GHz). The Athlon II X4 600e uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Duo T9550 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 600e scores 1,795 against the Core 2 Duo T9550's 1,804 — a 0.5% lead for the Core 2 Duo T9550. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 600e vs 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T9550.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 600e | Core 2 Duo T9550 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz | 2.66 GHz+21% |
| Base Clock | 2.2 GHz | 2.66 GHz+21% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 6 MB L2 Cache |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 6 MB+1100% |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Propus (2009−2011) | Penryn (2008−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,795 | 1,804 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X4 600e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo T9550 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 600e | Core 2 Duo T9550 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | PGA478 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X4 600e) / not specified (Core 2 Duo T9550).
| Feature | Athlon II X4 600e | Core 2 Duo T9550 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
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