
Athlon X4 750K vs Core 2 Duo P9500

Athlon X4 750K

Core 2 Duo P9500
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 X4 750K is positioned at rank 576 and the Core 2 Duo P9500 is on rank 354, so the Core 2 Duo P9500 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X4 750K
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo P9500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon X4 750K | Core 2 Duo P9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($17) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Trinity (2012−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon X4 750K | Core 2 Duo P9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($17) | ✅ 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 X4 750K and Core 2 Duo P9500

Athlon X4 750K
The Athlon X4 750K is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 100 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 2,879 points. Launch price was $149.

Core 2 Duo P9500
The Core 2 Duo P9500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 July 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 2.53 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,901 points. Launch price was $348.
Processing Power
The Athlon X4 750K packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core 2 Duo P9500 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon X4 750K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Athlon X4 750K versus 2.53 GHz on the Core 2 Duo P9500 — a 45% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 750K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.53 GHz). The Athlon X4 750K uses the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core 2 Duo P9500 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X4 750K scores 2,879 against the Core 2 Duo P9500's 2,901 — a 0.8% lead for the Core 2 Duo P9500.
| Feature | Athlon X4 750K | Core 2 Duo P9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz+58% | 2.53 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.4 GHz+34% | 2.53 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 6 MB L2 Cache |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 6 MB+50% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Trinity (2012−2013) | Penryn (2008−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,879 | 2,901 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 340 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 650 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon X4 750K uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo P9500 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1866 memory speed. The Athlon X4 750K supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Chipset compatibility: AMD FM2 (Athlon X4 750K) and PM45,GM45 (Core 2 Duo P9500).
| Feature | Athlon X4 750K | Core 2 Duo P9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FM2 | PGA478 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1866 | DDR3-1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB+700% | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Athlon X4 750K) / VT-x (Core 2 Duo P9500). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo P9500 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core 2 Duo P9500 rivals Athlon II X2 245e.
| Feature | Athlon X4 750K | Core 2 Duo P9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
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