Athlon 64 FX-72 vs Pentium Dual Core T2390

Athlon 64 FX-72 vs Pentium Dual Core T2390 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 FX-72

2 / 2

1,794

+1.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium Dual Core T2390

2 / 2

1,771

0.0%

Pentium Dual-Core E2200

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 FX-72 vs Pentium Dual Core T2390 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 64 FX-72 vs Pentium Dual Core T2390: 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 FX-72

2006

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 2.2 vs 20.6 PassMark/$ ($799 MSRP vs $86 MSRP).
❌12400% higher power demand at 125W vs 1W.

Pentium Dual Core T2390

2008

Why buy it

✅Costs $713 less on MSRP ($86 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Delivers 817.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 20.6 vs 2.2 PassMark/$ ($86 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Draws 1W instead of 125W, a 124W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,771 vs 1,794).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 64 FX-72 better than Pentium Dual Core T2390?

Yes. Athlon 64 FX-72 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.0% average FPS lead across 26 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1.3% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon 64 FX-72 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.0% more average FPS across 26 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 64 FX-72 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon 64 FX-72 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Athlon 64 FX-72 comes in 829.1% more expensive on MSRP at $799 MSRP versus $86 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.0% average FPS lead across 26 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium Dual Core T2390 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2008 platform. Even with 817.2% better value on paper (20.6 vs 2.2 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on PGA478.

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

Pentium Dual Core T2390 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2008 vs 2006). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon 64 FX-72 vs Pentium Dual Core T2390 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon 64 FX-72

The Athlon 64 FX-72 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Windsor (2006−2007) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: F. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR1. Passmark benchmark score: 1,794 points. Launch price was $149.

Pentium Dual Core T2390

The Pentium Dual Core T2390 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. Max frequency: 1.86 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,771 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon 64 FX-72 and Pentium Dual Core T2390 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Athlon 64 FX-72 versus 1.86 GHz on the Pentium Dual Core T2390 — a 40.3% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 FX-72. The Athlon 64 FX-72 uses the Windsor (2006−2007) architecture (90 nm), while the Pentium Dual Core T2390 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 FX-72 scores 1,794 against the Pentium Dual Core T2390's 1,771 — a 1.3% lead for the Athlon 64 FX-72.

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-72	Pentium Dual Core T2390
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz+51%	1.86 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	—
L2 Cache	1 MB	1 MB
Process	90 nm	65 nm-28%
Architecture	Windsor (2006−2007)	NetBurst (2000−2006)
PassMark	1,794+1%	1,771

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon 64 FX-72 uses the F socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium Dual Core T2390 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-72	Pentium Dual Core T2390
Socket	F	PGA478
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-800	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 64 FX-72 was priced at $799, while the Pentium Dual Core T2390 came in at $86. On launch pricing ($799 vs $86), Pentium Dual Core T2390 was $713 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 FX-72 delivers 2.2 pts/$ vs 20.6 pts/$ for the Pentium Dual Core T2390 — making the Pentium Dual Core T2390 the 160.7% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-72	Pentium Dual Core T2390
MSRP	$799	$86-89%
Performance per Dollar	2.2	20.6+836%
Release Date	2006	2008

Search Athlon 64 FX-72 on Amazon

Search Pentium Dual Core T2390 on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.