A8-4500M vs Athlon II M300

A8-4500M vs Athlon II M300 Performance Spectrum

A8-4500M

4 / 4

1,693

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Athlon II M300

2 / 2

1,700

+0.4%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

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.

A8-4500M vs Athlon II M300 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.

A8-4500M vs Athlon II M300: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

A8-4500M

2012

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon HD 7640G, while Athlon II M300 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,693 vs 1,700).
❌3400% higher power demand at 35W vs 1W.

Athlon II M300

2009

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 1W instead of 35W, a 34W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $100 MSRP, while A8-4500M mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while A8-4500M can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II M300 better than A8-4500M?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, A8-4500M is ahead with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II M300 pulls ahead with 0.4% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II M300 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon II M300 is the better buy right now. Athlon II M300 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $100 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.4% better PassMark. The compromise is that A8-4500M is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (17.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

A8-4500M makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

A8-4500M vs Athlon II M300 Technical Specifications

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

A8-4500M

The A8-4500M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FS1r2. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: unknown. Passmark benchmark score: 1,693 points. Launch price was $90.

Athlon II M300

The Athlon II M300 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Caspian (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g3. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,700 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The A8-4500M packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon II M300 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the A8-4500M has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the A8-4500M versus 2 GHz on the Athlon II M300 — a 33.3% clock advantage for the A8-4500M. The A8-4500M uses the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II M300 uses Caspian (2009) (45 nm). In PassMark, the A8-4500M scores 1,693 against the Athlon II M300's 1,700 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon II M300.

Feature	A8-4500M	Athlon II M300
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz+40%	2 GHz
Base Clock	1.9 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	—
L2 Cache	4 MB (total)+300%	1 MB
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Trinity (2012−2013)	Caspian (2009)
PassMark	1,693	1,700
Geekbench 6 Single	283	—

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Memory & Platform

The A8-4500M uses the FS1r2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II M300 uses S1g3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1600 on the A8-4500M versus 800 on the Athlon II M300 — the A8-4500M supports 100% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The A8-4500M supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (A8-4500M) vs 0 (Athlon II M300) — the A8-4500M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	A8-4500M	Athlon II M300
Socket	FS1r2	S1g3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600+100%	800
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB+100%	8 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	0

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (A8-4500M) vs true (Athlon II M300). The A8-4500M includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 7640G), while the Athlon II M300 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A8-4500M targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: A8-4500M rivals Core i3-3110M; Athlon II M300 rivals Core 2 Duo T6400.