Core 2 Duo T9900 vs Athlon II X2 255
Core 2 Duo T9900
Athlon II X2 255
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 T9900 is positioned at rank 635 and the Athlon II X2 255 is on rank 793, so the Core 2 Duo T9900 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 T9900
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 255
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Duo T9900 | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Duo T9900 | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) |
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 T9900 and Athlon II X2 255
Core 2 Duo T9900
The Core 2 Duo T9900 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 June 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.06 GHz, with boost up to 0.07 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,204 points. Launch price was $530.
Athlon II X2 255
The Athlon II X2 255 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,210 points. Launch price was $60.
Processing Power
Both the Core 2 Duo T9900 and Athlon II X2 255 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 0.07 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T9900 versus 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X2 255 — a 191.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 255 (base: 3.06 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Core 2 Duo T9900 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II X2 255 uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo T9900 scores 1,204 against the Athlon II X2 255's 1,210 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon II X2 255. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Duo T9900 vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 255.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T9900 | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 0.07 GHz | 3.1 GHz+4329% |
| Base Clock | 3.06 GHz | 3.1 GHz+1% |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB L2 Cache | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB (total)+500% | 1 MB |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Penryn (2008−2011) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,204 | 1,210 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 265 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 500 |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Duo T9900 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon II X2 255 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T9900 | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA478 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core 2 Duo T9900) / AMD-V (Athlon II X2 255). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 255 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 255 rivals Pentium E5700.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo T9900 | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Legacy Desktop |
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