Athlon II M300 vs Pentium G3240T

AMD

Athlon II M300

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 2 GHz2009
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Pentium G3240T

2 Cores2 Thrd35 WW2014
Similar parts
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Athlon II M300 vs Pentium G3240T Performance Spectrum

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 II M300 vs Pentium G3240T 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 II M300 vs Pentium G3240T: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon II M300

2009

Why buy it

  • Draws 1W instead of 35W, a 34W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.0 vs 26.5 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $64 MSRP).

Pentium G3240T

2014

Why buy it

  • Costs $36 less on MSRP ($64 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
  • Delivers 55.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 26.5 vs 17.0 PassMark/$ ($64 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (1,693 vs 1,700).
  • 3400% higher power demand at 35W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II M300 better than Pentium G3240T?
Yes. Athlon II M300 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.4% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Athlon II M300 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.8% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II M300 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Athlon II M300 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Athlon II M300 comes in 56.3% more expensive on MSRP at $100 MSRP versus $64 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium G3240T only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2014 platform. Even with 55.6% better value on paper (26.5 vs 17.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1150.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Pentium G3240T makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II M300 vs Pentium G3240T Technical Specifications

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

AMD

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.

Intel

Pentium G3240T

The Pentium G3240T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency: 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1333, DDR3L-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,693 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II M300 and Pentium G3240T share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. The Athlon II M300 is built on the Caspian (2009) architecture. In PassMark, the Athlon II M300 scores 1,700 against the Pentium G3240T's 1,693 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon II M300.

FeatureAthlon II M300Pentium G3240T
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 2
Boost Clock
2 GHz
Base Clock
2.7 GHz
L3 Cache
3 MB Intel® Smart Cache
L2 Cache
1 MB
Process
45 nm
22 nm-51%
Architecture
Caspian (2009)
PassMark
1,700
1,693
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II M300 uses the S1g3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium G3240T uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureAthlon II M300Pentium G3240T
Socket
S1g3
LGA1150
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed
800
Max RAM Capacity
8
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
No
PCIe Lanes
0
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Athlon II M300) / not specified (Pentium G3240T). Direct competitor: Athlon II M300 rivals Core 2 Duo T6400.

FeatureAthlon II M300Pentium G3240T
Integrated GPU
No
IGPU Model
None
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
true
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II M300 was priced at $100, while the Pentium G3240T came in at $64. On launch pricing ($100 vs $64), Pentium G3240T was $36 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II M300 delivers 17.0 pts/$ vs 26.5 pts/$ for the Pentium G3240T — making the Pentium G3240T the 43.5% better value option.

FeatureAthlon II M300Pentium G3240T
MSRP
$100
$64-36%
Performance per Dollar
17.0
26.5+56%
Release Date
2009
2014

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