Core 2 Duo T9600
Popular choices:
Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Popular choices:
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.
Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook
This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.
Core 2 Duo T9600
2008Why buy it
- ✅Draws 6W instead of 130W, a 124W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (1,087 vs 1,095).
Pentium Extreme Edition 955
2005Why buy it
- ✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
Trade-offs
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $999 MSRP, while Core 2 Duo T9600 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌2066.7% higher power demand at 130W vs 6W.
Core 2 Duo T9600
2008Pentium Extreme Edition 955
2005Why buy it
- ✅Draws 6W instead of 130W, a 124W reduction.
Why buy it
- ✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (1,087 vs 1,095).
Trade-offs
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $999 MSRP, while Core 2 Duo T9600 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌2066.7% higher power demand at 130W vs 6W.
Quick Answers
So, is Core 2 Duo T9600 better than Pentium Extreme Edition 955?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Games Benchmarks
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.
Path of Exile 2
| Preset | Core 2 Duo T9600 | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| medium | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| high | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| ultra | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| medium | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| high | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| ultra | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| medium | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| high | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| ultra | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
Counter-Strike 2
| Preset | Core 2 Duo T9600 | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| medium | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| high | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| ultra | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| medium | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| high | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| ultra | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| medium | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| high | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| ultra | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
League of Legends
| Preset | Core 2 Duo T9600 | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| medium | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| high | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| ultra | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| medium | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| high | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| ultra | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| medium | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| high | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| ultra | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
Valorant
| Preset | Core 2 Duo T9600 | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| medium | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| high | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| ultra | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| medium | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| high | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| ultra | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| medium | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| high | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
| ultra | 27 FPS | 27 FPS |
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Duo T9600 and Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Core 2 Duo T9600
Core 2 Duo T9600
The Core 2 Duo T9600 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 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 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: 1,087 points. Launch price was $316.
Pentium Extreme Edition 955
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 T9600 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Pentium Extreme Edition 955's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T9600 versus 0.47 GHz on the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 — a 142.5% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo T9600 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 3.466 GHz). The Core 2 Duo T9600 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 T9600 scores 1,087 against the Pentium Extreme Edition 955's 1,095 — a 0.7% lead for the Pentium Extreme Edition 955.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T9600 | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz+496% | 0.47 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz | 3.466 GHz+24% |
| 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 | 1,087 | 1,095 |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Duo T9600 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 T9600 | 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.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Core 2 Duo T9600 and Pentium Extreme Edition 955
