Pentium Extreme Edition 955 vs Phenom II X3 N830

Pentium Extreme Edition 955 vs Phenom II X3 N830 Performance Spectrum

Pentium Extreme Edition 955

2 / 4

1,095

0.0%

1,107

+1.1%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

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.

Pentium Extreme Edition 955 vs Phenom II X3 N830 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Pentium Extreme Edition 955 vs Phenom II X3 N830: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Pentium Extreme Edition 955

2005

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Phenom II X3 N830 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,095 vs 1,107).
❌Launch MSRP is still $999 MSRP, while Phenom II X3 N830 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌8566.7% higher power demand at 130W vs 1.5W.

Phenom II X3 N830

2010

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 2W instead of 130W, a 129W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Phenom II X3 N830 better than Pentium Extreme Edition 955?

Yes. Phenom II X3 N830 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 3.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.1% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Phenom II X3 N830 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 3.4% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X3 N830 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 3 cores and 3 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Phenom II X3 N830 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Phenom II X3 N830 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $999 MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium Extreme Edition 955 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2005 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (1.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA775.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Phenom II X3 N830 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2005) and more multi-core headroom with 3 cores / 3 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Pentium Extreme Edition 955 vs Phenom II X3 N830 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

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.

Phenom II X3 N830

The Phenom II X3 N830 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,107 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X3 N830 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom II X3 N830 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 0.47 GHz on the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 versus 2.1 GHz on the Phenom II X3 N830 — a 126.8% clock advantage for the Phenom II X3 N830. The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses the Presler (2005−2007) architecture (65 nm), while the Phenom II X3 N830 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Extreme Edition 955 scores 1,095 against the Phenom II X3 N830's 1,107 — a 1.1% lead for the Phenom II X3 N830.

Feature	Pentium Extreme Edition 955	Phenom II X3 N830
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	3 / 3+50%
Boost Clock	0.47 GHz	2.1 GHz+347%
Base Clock	3.466 GHz	—
L2 Cache	2 MB (per core)+33%	1.5 MB
Process	65 nm	45 nm-31%
Architecture	Presler (2005−2007)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,095	1,107+1%

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium Extreme Edition 955 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Phenom II X3 N830 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.