A4-5300 vs Athlon II X2 280
A4-5300
Athlon II X2 280
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 A4-5300 is positioned at rank 731 and the Athlon II X2 280 is on rank 638, so the Athlon II X2 280 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar A4-5300
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 280
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | A4-5300 | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Trinity (2012−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | A4-5300 | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 A4-5300 and Athlon II X2 280
A4-5300
The A4-5300 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,367 points. Launch price was $50.
Athlon II X2 280
The Athlon II X2 280 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 February 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,355 points. Launch price was $100.
Processing Power
Both the A4-5300 and Athlon II X2 280 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the A4-5300 versus 3.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 280 — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.4 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The A4-5300 uses the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II X2 280 uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the A4-5300 scores 1,367 against the Athlon II X2 280's 1,355 — a 0.9% lead for the A4-5300. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 372 vs 290, a 24.8% lead for the A4-5300 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | A4-5300 | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz | 3.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.4 GHz | 3.6 GHz+6% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 1 MB |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Trinity (2012−2013) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,367 | 1,355 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 372+28% | 290 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 550 |
Memory & Platform
The A4-5300 uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X2 280 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1600 memory speed. The A4-5300 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (A4-5300) vs 0 (Athlon II X2 280) — the A4-5300 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A55,A75,A85X (A4-5300) and 870,880G,890GX,890FX,970,990X,990FX (Athlon II X2 280).
| Feature | A4-5300 | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FM2 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1600 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+100% | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. The A4-5300 includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 7480D), while the Athlon II X2 280 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A4-5300 targets Budget Desktop, Athlon II X2 280 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: A4-5300 rivals Celeron G1620; Athlon II X2 280 rivals Pentium E6700.
| Feature | A4-5300 | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Radeon HD 7480D | — |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Budget Desktop | Legacy Desktop |
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