Pentium Extreme Edition 955 vs Core 2 Duo P9600
Pentium Extreme Edition 955
Core 2 Duo P9600
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 Core 2 Duo P9600 is on rank 609, so the Core 2 Duo P9600 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 Core 2 Duo P9600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 | Core 2 Duo P9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Presler (2005−2007) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Penryn (2008−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 | Core 2 Duo P9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) | ✅ 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 Pentium Extreme Edition 955 and Core 2 Duo P9600
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.
Core 2 Duo P9600
The Core 2 Duo P9600 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 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,093 points. Launch price was $348.
Processing Power
The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core 2 Duo P9600's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 0.47 GHz on the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 versus 2.66 GHz on the Core 2 Duo P9600 — a 139.9% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo P9600 (base: 3.466 GHz vs 2.66 GHz). The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses the Presler (2005−2007) architecture (65 nm), while the Core 2 Duo P9600 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 scores 1,095 against the Core 2 Duo P9600's 1,093 — a 0.2% lead for the Pentium Extreme Edition 955.
| Feature | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 | Core 2 Duo P9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 0.47 GHz | 2.66 GHz+466% |
| Base Clock | 3.466 GHz+30% | 2.66 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 6 MB L2 Cache |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (per core) | 6 MB+200% |
| Process | 65 nm | 45 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Presler (2005−2007) | Penryn (2008−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,095 | 1,093 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Core 2 Duo P9600 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium Extreme Edition 955 | Core 2 Duo P9600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | PGA478 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 1.1 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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