Phenom X4 9600 vs Athlon X2 QL-64
Phenom X4 9600
Athlon X2 QL-64
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 Phenom X4 9600 is positioned at rank 397 and the Athlon X2 QL-64 is on rank 665, so the Phenom X4 9600 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Phenom X4 9600
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X2 QL-64
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Phenom X4 9600 | Athlon X2 QL-64 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Agena (2007−2008) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Lion (2008−2009) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Phenom X4 9600 | Athlon X2 QL-64 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
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 Phenom X4 9600 and Athlon X2 QL-64
Phenom X4 9600
The Phenom X4 9600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Agena (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,607 points. Launch price was $149.
Athlon X2 QL-64
The Athlon X2 QL-64 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Lion (2008−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,614 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Phenom X4 9600 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon X2 QL-64 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Phenom X4 9600 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Phenom X4 9600 versus 2.1 GHz on the Athlon X2 QL-64 — a 9.1% clock advantage for the Phenom X4 9600. The Phenom X4 9600 uses the Agena (2007−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Athlon X2 QL-64 uses Lion (2008−2009) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom X4 9600 scores 1,607 against the Athlon X2 QL-64's 1,614 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon X2 QL-64. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Phenom X4 9600 vs 0 kB on the Athlon X2 QL-64.
| Feature | Phenom X4 9600 | Athlon X2 QL-64 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.3 GHz+10% | 2.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 1 MB+100% |
| Process | 65 nm | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Agena (2007−2008) | Lion (2008−2009) |
| PassMark | 1,607 | 1,614 |
Memory & Platform
The Phenom X4 9600 uses the AM2+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon X2 QL-64 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Phenom X4 9600 | Athlon X2 QL-64 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM2+ | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR2-667 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Phenom X4 9600) / AMD-V (Athlon X2 QL-64).
| Feature | Phenom X4 9600 | Athlon X2 QL-64 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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