Athlon 64 3600+
Athlon II Neo K145
Athlon 64 3600+ vs Athlon II Neo K145 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 64 3600+ vs Athlon II Neo K145 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Athlon 64 3600+ vs Athlon II Neo K145: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict
See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.
Athlon 64 3600+
2004Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +7.3% higher average FPS across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 4.0 vs 11.3 PassMark/$ ($149 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
- ❌8800% higher power demand at 89W vs 1W.
Athlon II Neo K145
2010Why buy it
- ✅Costs $99 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 183.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 11.3 vs 4.0 PassMark/$ ($50 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 1W instead of 89W, a 88W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon 64 3600+ across 49 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (565 vs 595).
Quick Answers
So, is Athlon 64 3600+ better than Athlon II Neo K145?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Athlon 64 3600+ vs Athlon II Neo K145 Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
Athlon 64 3600+
The Athlon 64 3600+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Clawhammer (2001−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.4 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: 754. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Memory support: DDR1. Passmark benchmark score: 595 points. Launch price was $149.
Athlon II Neo K145
The Athlon II Neo K145 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Nile (2010) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.8 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 565 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon 64 3600+ and Athlon II Neo K145 share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Athlon 64 3600+ versus 1.8 GHz on the Athlon II Neo K145 — a 28.6% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 3600+. The Athlon 64 3600+ uses the Clawhammer (2001−2005) architecture (130 nm), while the Athlon II Neo K145 uses Nile (2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 3600+ scores 595 against the Athlon II Neo K145's 565 — a 5.2% lead for the Athlon 64 3600+.
| Feature | Athlon 64 3600+ | Athlon II Neo K145 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz+33% | 1.8 GHz |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Process | 130 nm | 45 nm-65% |
| Architecture | Clawhammer (2001−2005) | Nile (2010) |
| PassMark | 595+5% | 565 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon 64 3600+ uses the 754 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon II Neo K145 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-800 on the Athlon 64 3600+ versus DDR3-1066 on the Athlon II Neo K145 — the Athlon II Neo K145 supports 33.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon 64 3600+ supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AMD AM2 (Athlon 64 3600+) and AMD ASB2 (Athlon II Neo K145).
| Feature | Athlon 64 3600+ | Athlon II Neo K145 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | 754 | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-800 | DDR3-1066+33% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB+300% | 4 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | No | No |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 0 |
Value Analysis
At launch, the Athlon 64 3600+ was priced at $149, while the Athlon II Neo K145 came in at $50. On launch pricing ($149 vs $50), Athlon II Neo K145 was $99 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 3600+ delivers 4.0 pts/$ vs 11.3 pts/$ for the Athlon II Neo K145 — making the Athlon II Neo K145 the 95.6% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon 64 3600+ | Athlon II Neo K145 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $149 | $50-66% |
| Performance per Dollar | 4.0 | 11.3+183% |
| Release Date | 2004 | 2010 |
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