Athlon X2 QL-64 vs Phenom X4 9600
Athlon X2 QL-64
Phenom X4 9600
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 X2 QL-64 is positioned at rank 665 and the Phenom X4 9600 is on rank 397, so the Phenom X4 9600 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X2 QL-64
Performance Per Dollar Phenom X4 9600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon X2 QL-64 | Phenom X4 9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Lion (2008−2009) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Agena (2007−2008) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon X2 QL-64 | Phenom X4 9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ 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 X2 QL-64 and Phenom X4 9600
Athlon X2 QL-64
The Athlon X2 QL-64 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Lion (2008−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,614 points. Launch price was $149.
Phenom X4 9600
The Phenom X4 9600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Agena (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,607 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Athlon X2 QL-64 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom X4 9600 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom X4 9600 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Athlon X2 QL-64 versus 2.3 GHz on the Phenom X4 9600 — a 9.1% clock advantage for the Phenom X4 9600. The Athlon X2 QL-64 uses the Lion (2008−2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Phenom X4 9600 uses Agena (2007−2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X2 QL-64 scores 1,614 against the Phenom X4 9600's 1,607 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon X2 QL-64. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon X2 QL-64 vs 2 MB (total) on the Phenom X4 9600.
| Feature | Athlon X2 QL-64 | Phenom X4 9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2.1 GHz | 2.3 GHz+10% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+100% | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 65 nm | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Lion (2008−2009) | Agena (2007−2008) |
| PassMark | 1,614 | 1,607 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon X2 QL-64 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom X4 9600 uses AM2+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon X2 QL-64 | Phenom X4 9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1 | AM2+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-667 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon X2 QL-64) / not specified (Phenom X4 9600).
| Feature | Athlon X2 QL-64 | Phenom X4 9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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