Athlon 64 X2 3600+ vs Pentium E2220

Athlon 64 X2 3600+ vs Pentium E2220 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 X2 3600+

2 / 2

1,020

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium E2220

1,028

+0.8%

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 X2 3600+ vs Pentium E2220 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 X2 3600+ vs Pentium E2220: 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 X2 3600+

2005

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,020 vs 1,028).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.8 vs 32.1 PassMark/$ ($150 MSRP vs $32 MSRP).
❌36.9% higher power demand at 89W vs 65W.

Pentium E2220

2008

Why buy it

✅Costs $118 less on MSRP ($32 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅Delivers 372.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 32.1 vs 6.8 PassMark/$ ($32 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 89W, a 24W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium E2220 better than Athlon 64 X2 3600+?

Yes. Pentium E2220 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.8% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Pentium E2220 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.2% more average FPS across 49 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium E2220 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark.

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

Pentium E2220 is the better buy right now. Pentium E2220 comes in $118 cheaper on MSRP at $32 MSRP versus $150 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 372.4% better value on MSRP (32.1 vs 6.8 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium E2220 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2008 vs 2005). That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon 64 X2 3600+ vs Pentium E2220 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon 64 X2 3600+

The Athlon 64 X2 3600+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Manchester (2005−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Memory support: DDR1. Passmark benchmark score: 1,020 points. Launch price was $149.

Pentium E2220

The Pentium E2220 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. Base frequency: 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 1 MB L2 Cache. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,028 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon 64 X2 3600+ is built on the Manchester (2005−2006) architecture. In PassMark, the Athlon 64 X2 3600+ scores 1,020 against the Pentium E2220's 1,028 — a 0.8% lead for the Pentium E2220. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon 64 X2 3600+ vs 1 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium E2220.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 3600+	Pentium E2220
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	—
Boost Clock	2 GHz	—
Base Clock	—	2.4 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	1 MB L2 Cache
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	—
Process	90 nm	65 nm-28%
Architecture	Manchester (2005−2006)	—
PassMark	1,020	1,028
Geekbench 6 Single	—	330
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	590

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon 64 X2 3600+ uses the 939 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium E2220 uses LGA775 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR2-800 memory speed. The Athlon 64 X2 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 X2 3600+) and G31,G41 (Pentium E2220).

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 3600+	Pentium E2220
Socket	939	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-800	DDR2-800
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB+300%	4 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon 64 X2 3600+) / None (Pentium E2220). Primary use case: Pentium E2220 targets Legacy Desktop.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 3600+	Pentium E2220
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	None
Target Use	—	Legacy Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 64 X2 3600+ was priced at $150, while the Pentium E2220 came in at $32. On launch pricing ($150 vs $32), Pentium E2220 was $118 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 X2 3600+ delivers 6.8 pts/$ vs 32.1 pts/$ for the Pentium E2220 — making the Pentium E2220 the 130.1% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 3600+	Pentium E2220
MSRP	$150	$32-79%
Performance per Dollar	6.8	32.1+372%
Release Date	2005	2008

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