Athlon II M300 vs Atom D525

Athlon II M300

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 2 GHz2009

Atom D525

2 Cores4 Thrd13 WWMax: 1.83 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Athlon II M300

2 / 2

1,700

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Atom D525

2 / 4

1,707

+0.4%

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 II M300 is positioned at rank 940 and the Atom D525 is on rank 31, so the Atom D525 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon II M300

#928

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1726%

#929

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1701%

#930

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1561%

#931

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1554%

#932

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1540%

#934

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1487%

#935

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1426%

#936

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1424%

#937

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1385%

#940

Athlon II M300

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

100%

#944

Athlon Neo X2 L335

MSRP: $80|Avg: $15

98%

#945

Core i7-3610QE

MSRP: $315|Avg: $105

98%

#948

A8-8600P

MSRP: $150|Avg: $30

97%

#950

FX-9800P

MSRP: $150|Avg: $45

96%

#951

Celeron 1020E

MSRP: $86|Avg: $20

96%

#954

Core i7-5850EQ

MSRP: $435|Avg: $370

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Atom D525

#19

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

172%

#20

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

169%

#21

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

155%

#22

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

155%

#23

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

153%

#25

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

148%

#26

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

142%

#27

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

142%

#28

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

138%

#31

Atom D525

MSRP: $63|Avg: N/A

100%

#32

Atom x7835RE

MSRP: $127|Avg: N/A

100%

#33

Core 2 Duo P8400

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

98%

#38

Core 2 Duo T8100

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

91%

#39

Atom 330

MSRP: $43|Avg: $30

90%

#43

Core 2 Duo SU7300

MSRP: $289|Avg: N/A

88%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Athlon II M300 leads in gaming performance. However, the Atom D525 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.4% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Athlon II M300	Atom D525
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	✅ More affordable ($10)	⚠️ Higher cost ($63)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Caspian (2009) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Pinetrail (2009−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Athlon II M300 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 84% cheaper ($10 vs $63) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	Athlon II M300	Atom D525
Cost Efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+527%)	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($10)	⚠️ Higher cost ($63)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Athlon II M300 Benchmark Check

Atom D525 Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Athlon II M300 and Atom D525

Athlon II M300

The Athlon II M300 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Caspian (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g3. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,700 points. Launch price was $149.

Atom D525

The Atom D525 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 June 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Pinetrail (2009−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.83 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA559. Thermal design power (TDP): 13 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,707 points. Launch price was $63.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon II M300 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Atom D525's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Athlon II M300 versus 1.83 GHz on the Atom D525 — a 8.9% clock advantage for the Athlon II M300. The Athlon II M300 uses the Caspian (2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Atom D525 uses Pinetrail (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II M300 scores 1,700 against the Atom D525's 1,707 — a 0.4% lead for the Atom D525.

Feature	Athlon II M300	Atom D525
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2 GHz+9%	1.83 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.8 GHz
L3 Cache	—	0 kB
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	512K (per core)
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Caspian (2009)	Pinetrail (2009−2011)
PassMark	1,700	1,707

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II M300 uses the S1g3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom D525 uses FCBGA559 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 800 on the Athlon II M300 versus DDR3-800 on the Atom D525 — the Athlon II M300 supports 198.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II M300 supports up to 8 of RAM compared to 4 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Athlon II M300) vs 1 (Atom D525). Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: S1g3 (Athlon II M300) and Intel NM10 (Atom D525).

Feature	Athlon II M300	Atom D525
Socket	S1g3	FCBGA559
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	800+26567%	DDR3-800
Max RAM Capacity	8	4 GB+52428700%
RAM Channels	2+100%	1
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	0	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Athlon II M300) / not specified (Atom D525). The Atom D525 includes integrated graphics (Intel GMA 3150), while the Athlon II M300 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Athlon II M300 rivals Core 2 Duo T6400.