Pentium Extreme Edition 955 vs Athlon II X2 210e
Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Athlon II X2 210e
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 Pentium Extreme Edition 955 is positioned at rank 1123 and the Athlon II X2 210e is on rank 837, so the Athlon II X2 210e offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 210e
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 | Athlon II X2 210e |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) | ✅ More affordable ($28) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Presler (2005−2007) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 | Athlon II X2 210e |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+78%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) | ✅ More affordable ($28) |
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 Pentium Extreme Edition 955 and Athlon II X2 210e
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.
Athlon II X2 210e
The Athlon II X2 210e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,089 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Athlon II X2 210e's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.47 GHz on the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 versus 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 210e — a 138.8% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 210e (base: 3.466 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses the Presler (2005−2007) architecture (65 nm), while the Athlon II X2 210e uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 scores 1,095 against the Athlon II X2 210e's 1,089 — a 0.5% lead for the Pentium Extreme Edition 955.
| Feature | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 | Athlon II X2 210e |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 0.47 GHz | 2.6 GHz+453% |
| Base Clock | 3.466 GHz+33% | 2.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core)+300% | 512 kB |
| Process | 65 nm | 45 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Presler (2005−2007) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,095 | 1,089 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon II X2 210e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 | Athlon II X2 210e |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | 1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium Extreme Edition 955) / true (Athlon II X2 210e). Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 210e rivals Pentium E5300.
| Feature | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 | Athlon II X2 210e |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | true |
Value Analysis
The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 launched at $999 MSRP, while the Athlon II X2 210e debuted at $60. At current prices ($50 vs $28), the Athlon II X2 210e is $22 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 delivers 21.9 pts/$ vs 38.9 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 210e — making the Athlon II X2 210e the 55.9% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 | Athlon II X2 210e |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $999 | $60-94% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $50 | $28-44% |
| Performance per Dollar | 21.9 | 38.9+78% |
| Release Date | 2005 | 2010 |
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