Athlon 64 X2 5600+ vs Phenom II X3 B73
Athlon 64 X2 5600+
Phenom II X3 B73
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon 64 X2 5600+ is positioned at rank 1088 and the Phenom II X3 B73 is on rank 380, so the Phenom II X3 B73 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 X2 5600+
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X3 B73
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon 64 X2 5600+ | Phenom II X3 B73 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Windsor (2006−2007) / 90 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Heka (2009−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon 64 X2 5600+ | Phenom II X3 B73 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon 64 X2 5600+ and Phenom II X3 B73
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.
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 |
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.
| Feature | Athlon 64 X2 5600+ | Phenom II X3 B73 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM2 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-800 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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