Core 2 Quad Q9000 vs Athlon X2 QL-64

Core 2 Quad Q9000

4 Cores4 Thrd6 WWMax: 2 GHz2009

Athlon X2 QL-64

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.1 GHz2009

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core 2 Quad Q9000

4 / 4

1,597

0.0%

1,614

+1.1%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 Quad Q9000 is positioned at rank 1216 and the Athlon X2 QL-64 is on rank 665, so the Athlon X2 QL-64 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Quad Q9000

#1204

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

6392%

#1205

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

6298%

#1206

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

5782%

#1207

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

5756%

#1208

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

5703%

#1210

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

5508%

#1211

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

5281%

#1212

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

5272%

#1213

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

5131%

#1216

Core 2 Quad Q9000

MSRP: $348|Avg: $15

100%

#1217

Core i5-2537M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

100%

#1218

Core i7-720QM

MSRP: $364|Avg: N/A

99%

#1219

Pentium U5400

MSRP: $289|Avg: $214

97%

#1220

Pentium T2330

MSRP: $150|Avg: $7

97%

#1221

Z-01

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

94%

#1222

Pentium T2310

MSRP: $150|Avg: $14

91%

#1223

Celeron SU2300

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

89%

#1224

Core i5-560UM

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

88%

#1225

Core i7-660UM

MSRP: $317|Avg: N/A

88%

#1226

C-30

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

88%

#1228

Core i7-620UM

MSRP: $278|Avg: N/A

85%

#1230

Celeron 570

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

82%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon X2 QL-64

#653

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

909%

#654

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

896%

#655

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

822%

#656

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

818%

#657

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

811%

#659

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

783%

#660

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

751%

#661

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

750%

#662

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

730%

#665

Athlon X2 QL-64

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

100%

#666

Core 3 N350

MSRP: $225|Avg: $220

100%

#668

FX-7500

MSRP: $100|Avg: $25

99%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Athlon X2 QL-64 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core 2 Quad Q9000 in both compute-intensive tasks (1.1% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core 2 Quad Q9000	Athlon X2 QL-64
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Lion (2008−2009) / 65 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Athlon X2 QL-64 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 0% cheaper ($15 vs $15) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Core 2 Quad Q9000	Athlon X2 QL-64
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+1%)
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Core 2 Quad Q9000 Benchmark Check

Athlon X2 QL-64 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core 2 Quad Q9000 and Athlon X2 QL-64

Core 2 Quad Q9000

The Core 2 Quad Q9000 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 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,597 points. Launch price was $348.

Athlon X2 QL-64

The Athlon X2 QL-64 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Lion (2008−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,614 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core 2 Quad Q9000 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon X2 QL-64 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Core 2 Quad Q9000 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Core 2 Quad Q9000 versus 2.1 GHz on the Athlon X2 QL-64 — a 4.9% clock advantage for the Athlon X2 QL-64. The Core 2 Quad Q9000 uses the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon X2 QL-64 uses Lion (2008−2009) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Quad Q9000 scores 1,597 against the Athlon X2 QL-64's 1,614 — a 1.1% lead for the Athlon X2 QL-64. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache on the Core 2 Quad Q9000 vs 0 kB on the Athlon X2 QL-64.

Feature	Core 2 Quad Q9000	Athlon X2 QL-64
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2 GHz	2.1 GHz+5%
Base Clock	2 GHz	—
L3 Cache	6 MB L2 Cache	0 kB
L2 Cache	6 MB+500%	1 MB
Process	45 nm-31%	65 nm
Architecture	Penryn (2008−2011)	Lion (2008−2009)
PassMark	1,597	1,614+1%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core 2 Quad Q9000 uses the PGA478 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon X2 QL-64 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core 2 Quad Q9000	Athlon X2 QL-64
Socket	PGA478	S1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR2-667
Max RAM Capacity	—	8 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core 2 Quad Q9000) / AMD-V (Athlon X2 QL-64).

Feature	Core 2 Quad Q9000	Athlon X2 QL-64
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V

💰

Value Analysis

The Core 2 Quad Q9000 launched at $348 MSRP, while the Athlon X2 QL-64 debuted at $50. At current prices ($15 vs $15), the Athlon X2 QL-64 is $0 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 2 Quad Q9000 delivers 106.5 pts/$ vs 107.6 pts/$ for the Athlon X2 QL-64 — making the Athlon X2 QL-64 the 1.1% better value option.