Athlon 64 X2 5600+ vs Phenom II X3 B73

Athlon 64 X2 5600+ vs Phenom II X3 B73 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 X2 5600+

2 / 2

1,665

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Phenom II X3 B73

3 / 3

1,671

+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.

Athlon 64 X2 5600+ vs Phenom II X3 B73 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 5600+ vs Phenom II X3 B73: 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 5600+

2006

Why buy it

✅Draws 89W instead of 95W, a 6W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,665 vs 1,671).
❌Launch MSRP is still $505 MSRP, while Phenom II X3 B73 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Phenom II X3 B73

2009

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 64 X2 5600+ better than Phenom II X3 B73?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon 64 X2 5600+ is ahead with a 2.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X3 B73 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, Phenom II X3 B73 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 3 cores and 3 threads.

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

Athlon 64 X2 5600+ is the better buy right now. Athlon 64 X2 5600+ comes in at an unclear MSRP at $505 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Phenom II X3 B73 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.4% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (3.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Phenom II X3 B73 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2009 vs 2006) and more multi-core headroom with 3 cores / 3 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon 64 X2 5600+ vs Phenom II X3 B73 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon 64 X2 5600+

The Athlon 64 X2 5600+ 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: 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: AM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,665 points. Launch price was $149.

Phenom II X3 B73

The Phenom II X3 B73 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Heka (2009−2010) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,671 points. Launch price was $75.

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Processing Power

The Athlon 64 X2 5600+ packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X3 B73 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom II X3 B73 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Athlon 64 X2 5600+ versus 2.8 GHz on the Phenom II X3 B73 — a 3.5% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 X2 5600+. The Athlon 64 X2 5600+ uses the Windsor (2006−2007) architecture (90 nm), while the Phenom II X3 B73 uses Heka (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 X2 5600+ scores 1,665 against the Phenom II X3 B73's 1,671 — a 0.4% lead for the Phenom II X3 B73. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon 64 X2 5600+ vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X3 B73.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 5600+	Phenom II X3 B73
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	3 / 3+50%
Boost Clock	2.9 GHz+4%	2.8 GHz
Base Clock	—	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K	512 kB (per core)
Process	90 nm	45 nm-50%
Architecture	Windsor (2006−2007)	Heka (2009−2010)
PassMark	1,665	1,671

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon 64 X2 5600+ uses the AM2 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Phenom II X3 B73 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.