Core 2 Duo P9600 vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955

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.

Core 2 Duo P9600 vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Core 2 Duo P9600 vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Core 2 Duo P9600

2009

Why buy it

✅Draws 6W instead of 130W, a 124W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,093 vs 1,095).

Pentium Extreme Edition 955

2005

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $999 MSRP, while Core 2 Duo P9600 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2066.7% higher power demand at 130W vs 6W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core 2 Duo P9600 better than Pentium Extreme Edition 955?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core 2 Duo P9600 is ahead with a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Extreme Edition 955 pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Extreme Edition 955 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core 2 Duo P9600 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Core 2 Duo P9600 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $999 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium Extreme Edition 955 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2005 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (1.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA775.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core 2 Duo P9600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2009 vs 2005). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Core 2 Duo P9600 vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Core 2 Duo P9600

The Core 2 Duo P9600 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): 25 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,093 points. Launch price was $348.

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.

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Processing Power

The Core 2 Duo P9600 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Pentium Extreme Edition 955's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.66 GHz on the Core 2 Duo P9600 versus 0.47 GHz on the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 — a 139.9% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo P9600 (base: 2.66 GHz vs 3.466 GHz). The Core 2 Duo P9600 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses Presler (2005−2007) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo P9600 scores 1,093 against the Pentium Extreme Edition 955's 1,095 — a 0.2% lead for the Pentium Extreme Edition 955.

Feature	Core 2 Duo P9600	Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.66 GHz+466%	0.47 GHz
Base Clock	2.66 GHz	3.466 GHz+30%
L3 Cache	6 MB L2 Cache	—
L2 Cache	6 MB+200%	2 MB (per core)
Process	45 nm-31%	65 nm
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Presler (2005−2007)
PassMark	1,093	1,095

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Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Duo P9600 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.