Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 vs Celeron E1500

Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 vs Celeron E1500 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 X2 TK-42

2 / 2

775

+1.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron E1500

2 / 2

765

0.0%

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 TK-42 vs Celeron E1500 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 TK-42 vs Celeron E1500: 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 TK-42

2009

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 1W instead of 65W, a 64W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.9 vs 14.4 PassMark/$ ($60 MSRP vs $53 MSRP).

Celeron E1500

2008

Why buy it

✅Costs $7 less on MSRP ($53 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).
✅Delivers 11.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 14.4 vs 12.9 PassMark/$ ($53 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (765 vs 775).
❌6400% higher power demand at 65W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 better than Celeron E1500?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Celeron E1500 is ahead with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 pulls ahead with 1.3% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 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 X2 TK-42 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 comes in 13.2% more expensive on MSRP at $60 MSRP versus $53 MSRP, and it still gives you 1.3% better PassMark. Celeron E1500 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2008 platform. Even with 11.7% better value on paper (14.4 vs 12.9 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA775.

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

Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2009 vs 2008) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 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 TK-42 vs Celeron E1500 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon 64 X2 TK-42

The Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Tyler (2007−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 775 points. Launch price was $149.

Celeron E1500

The Celeron E1500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 November 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Allendale (2006−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 765 points. Launch price was $63.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 and Celeron E1500 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 versus 2.2 GHz on the Celeron E1500 — a 31.6% clock advantage for the Celeron E1500. The Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 uses the Tyler (2007−2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Celeron E1500 uses Allendale (2006−2009) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 scores 775 against the Celeron E1500's 765 — a 1.3% lead for the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 TK-42	Celeron E1500
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.6 GHz	2.2 GHz+38%
Base Clock	—	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	—	0 kB
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	512 kB (total)
Process	65 nm	65 nm
Architecture	Tyler (2007−2009)	Allendale (2006−2009)
PassMark	775+1%	765
Geekbench 6 Single	—	285
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	515

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron E1500 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-667 on the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 versus DDR2-800 on the Celeron E1500 — the Celeron E1500 supports 19.9% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 8 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AMD S1 (Athlon 64 X2 TK-42) and G31,P35,G41 (Celeron E1500).

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 TK-42	Celeron E1500
Socket	S1	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-667	DDR2-800+20%
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	8 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon 64 X2 TK-42) / No (Celeron E1500). Primary use case: Celeron E1500 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron E1500 rivals Pentium E2200.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 TK-42	Celeron E1500
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	No
Target Use	—	Budget

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 was priced at $60, while the Celeron E1500 came in at $53. On launch pricing ($60 vs $53), Celeron E1500 was $7 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 X2 TK-42 delivers 12.9 pts/$ vs 14.4 pts/$ for the Celeron E1500 — making the Celeron E1500 the 11.1% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 64 X2 TK-42	Celeron E1500
MSRP	$60	$53-12%
Performance per Dollar	12.9	14.4+12%
Release Date	2009	2008

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