AMD Phenom II X2 550 vs AMD Phenom X3 8600

Comparative analysis of AMD Phenom II X2 550 and AMD Phenom X3 8600 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core.

 

Differences

Reasons to consider the AMD Phenom II X2 550

  • CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 8 month(s) later
  • Around 35% higher clock speed: 3.1 GHz vs 2.3 GHz
  • A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 45 nm vs 65 nm
  • 3x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
  • Around 19% lower typical power consumption: 80 Watt vs 95 Watt
Launch date November 2009 vs March 2008
Maximum frequency 3.1 GHz vs 2.3 GHz
Manufacturing process technology 45 nm vs 65 nm
L3 cache 6144 KB (shared) vs 2048 KB (shared)
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 80 Watt vs 95 Watt

Reasons to consider the AMD Phenom X3 8600

  • 1 more cores, run more applications at once: 3 vs 2
  • Around 50% more L1 cache; more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
  • Around 50% more L2 cache; more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Number of cores 3 vs 2
L1 cache 128 KB (per core) vs 128 KB (per core)
L2 cache 512 KB (per core) vs 512 KB (per core)

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: AMD Phenom II X2 550
CPU 2: AMD Phenom X3 8600

Name AMD Phenom II X2 550 AMD Phenom X3 8600
PassMark - Single thread mark 1233
PassMark - CPU mark 1167
Geekbench 4 - Single Core 1030
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core 2486

Compare specifications (specs)

AMD Phenom II X2 550 AMD Phenom X3 8600

Essentials

Architecture codename Callisto Toliman
Launch date November 2009 March 2008
Launch price (MSRP) $133
Place in performance rating 2043 2027
Price now $49.99
Value for money (0-100) 11.92
Vertical segment Desktop Desktop

Performance

64 bit support
Die size 258 mm 285 mm
L1 cache 128 KB (per core) 128 KB (per core)
L2 cache 512 KB (per core) 512 KB (per core)
L3 cache 6144 KB (shared) 2048 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology 45 nm 65 nm
Maximum frequency 3.1 GHz 2.3 GHz
Number of cores 2 3
Transistor count 758 million 450 million

Memory

Supported memory types DDR3

Compatibility

Max number of CPUs in a configuration 1 1
Sockets supported AM3 AM2+
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 80 Watt 95 Watt

Virtualization

AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)