Core 2 Duo P9600 vs Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Core 2 Duo P9600
Pentium Extreme Edition 955
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 Core 2 Duo P9600 is positioned at rank 609 and the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 is on rank 1123, so the Core 2 Duo P9600 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo P9600
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Duo P9600 | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Presler (2005−2007) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Duo P9600 | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) |
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 Core 2 Duo P9600 and Pentium Extreme Edition 955
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.
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 |
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.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo P9600 | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | LGA775 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 1.1 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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