Athlon 5150 vs Pentium D 820

AMD

Athlon 5150

4 Cores4 Thrd25 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2014
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Pentium D 820

2 Cores2 Thrd2 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2005
Similar parts
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Athlon 5150 vs Pentium D 820 Performance Spectrum

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.

Athlon 5150 vs Pentium D 820 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.

Athlon 5150 vs Pentium D 820: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon 5150

2014

Why buy it

  • +0.2% higher PassMark.
  • Costs $220 less on MSRP ($21 MSRP vs $241 MSRP).
  • Delivers 1050.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 67.4 vs 5.9 PassMark/$ ($21 MSRP vs $241 MSRP).
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R3 Graphics, while Pentium D 820 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • 1150% higher power demand at 25W vs 2W.

Pentium D 820

2005

Why buy it

  • Draws 2W instead of 25W, a 23W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (1,412 vs 1,415).
  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 5.9 vs 67.4 PassMark/$ ($241 MSRP vs $21 MSRP).
  • No integrated graphics, while Athlon 5150 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon 5150.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 5150 better than Pentium D 820?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium D 820 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 5150 pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 5150 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Athlon 5150 is the better buy right now. Athlon 5150 comes in $220 cheaper on MSRP at $21 MSRP versus $241 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. The compromise is that Pentium D 820 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 1050.1% better value on MSRP (67.4 vs 5.9 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Athlon 5150 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2005) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon 5150 vs Pentium D 820 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon 5150

The Athlon 5150 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Kabini (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,415 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Pentium D 820

The Pentium D 820 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,412 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

The Athlon 5150 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium D 820 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon 5150 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Athlon 5150 versus 2.8 GHz on the Pentium D 820 — a 54.5% clock advantage for the Pentium D 820. The Athlon 5150 uses the Kabini (2013−2014) architecture (28 nm), while the Pentium D 820 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (90 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 5150 scores 1,415 against the Pentium D 820's 1,412 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon 5150.

FeatureAthlon 5150Pentium D 820
Cores / Threads
4 / 4+100%
2 / 2
Boost Clock
1.6 GHz
2.8 GHz+75%
Base Clock
2.8 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
L2 Cache
2048 kB
2 MB
Process
28 nm-69%
90 nm
Architecture
Kabini (2013−2014)
NetBurst (2000−2006)
PassMark
1,415
1,412
Geekbench 6 Single
166
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon 5150 uses the AM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium D 820 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1600 on the Athlon 5150 versus DDR2-667 on the Pentium D 820 — the Athlon 5150 supports 139.9% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon 5150 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (Athlon 5150) vs 2 (Pentium D 820). PCIe lanes: 4 (Athlon 5150) vs 0 (Pentium D 820) — the Athlon 5150 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AM1 (Athlon 5150) and Intel 945,Intel 955 (Pentium D 820).

FeatureAthlon 5150Pentium D 820
Socket
AM1
LGA775
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0+82%
PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed
1600+140%
DDR2-667
Max RAM Capacity
16 GB+300%
4 GB
RAM Channels
1
2+100%
ECC Support
Yes
No
PCIe Lanes
4
0
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Advanced Features

Virtualization support: true (Athlon 5150) vs No (Pentium D 820). The Athlon 5150 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R3 Graphics), while the Pentium D 820 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Athlon 5150 rivals Pentium J2900.

FeatureAthlon 5150Pentium D 820
Integrated GPU
Yes
No
IGPU Model
Radeon R3 Graphics
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
true
No
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 5150 was priced at $21, while the Pentium D 820 came in at $241. On launch pricing ($21 vs $241), Athlon 5150 was $220 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 5150 delivers 67.4 pts/$ vs 5.9 pts/$ for the Pentium D 820 — making the Athlon 5150 the 168% better value option.

FeatureAthlon 5150Pentium D 820
MSRP
$21-91%
$241
Performance per Dollar
67.4+1042%
5.9
Release Date
2014
2005

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