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