Core 2 Quad Q9400 vs FirePro A320
Core 2 Quad Q9400
FirePro A320
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 Quad Q9400 is positioned at rank 1003 and the FirePro A320 is on rank 478, so the FirePro A320 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 Quad Q9400
Performance Per Dollar FirePro A320
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Quad Q9400 | FirePro A320 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Yorkfield (2007−2009) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Trinity (2012−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Quad Q9400 | FirePro A320 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 Quad Q9400 and FirePro A320
Core 2 Quad Q9400
The Core 2 Quad Q9400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Yorkfield (2007−2009) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 2.67 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,160 points. Launch price was $249.
FirePro A320
The FirePro A320 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 100 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 2,153 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
Both the Core 2 Quad Q9400 and FirePro A320 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.67 GHz on the Core 2 Quad Q9400 versus 4.2 GHz on the FirePro A320 — a 44.5% clock advantage for the FirePro A320 (base: 2.66 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core 2 Quad Q9400 uses the Yorkfield (2007−2009) architecture (45 nm), while the FirePro A320 uses Trinity (2012−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Quad Q9400 scores 2,160 against the FirePro A320's 2,153 — a 0.3% lead for the Core 2 Quad Q9400.
| Feature | Core 2 Quad Q9400 | FirePro A320 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.67 GHz | 4.2 GHz+57% |
| Base Clock | 2.66 GHz | 3.8 GHz+43% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB (total)+50% | 4 MB (total) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Yorkfield (2007−2009) | Trinity (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 2,160 | 2,153 |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Quad Q9400 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the FirePro A320 uses FM2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core 2 Quad Q9400 | FirePro A320 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | FM2 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1066 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Core 2 Quad Q9400) / not specified (FirePro A320). Primary use case: Core 2 Quad Q9400 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Core 2 Quad Q9400 | FirePro A320 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
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