Athlon II M300 vs Xeon E5502
Athlon II M300
Xeon E5502
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 II M300 is positioned at rank 940 and the Xeon E5502 is on rank 893, so the Xeon E5502 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II M300
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5502
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II M300 | Xeon E5502 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($39) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Caspian (2009) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Gainestown (2009−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II M300 | Xeon E5502 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+284%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($39) |
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 II M300 and Xeon E5502
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.
Xeon E5502
The Xeon E5502 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 March 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Gainestown (2009−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.86 GHz, with boost up to 1.87 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,725 points. Launch price was $95.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II M300 and Xeon E5502 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Athlon II M300 versus 1.87 GHz on the Xeon E5502 — a 6.7% clock advantage for the Athlon II M300. The Athlon II M300 uses the Caspian (2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Xeon E5502 uses Gainestown (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II M300 scores 1,700 against the Xeon E5502's 1,725 — a 1.5% lead for the Xeon E5502.
| Feature | Athlon II M300 | Xeon E5502 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz+7% | 1.87 GHz |
| Base Clock | — | 1.86 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Caspian (2009) | Gainestown (2009−2010) |
| PassMark | 1,700 | 1,725+1% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 200 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 800 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II M300 uses the S1g3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5502 uses LGA1366 (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 Xeon E5502 — the Athlon II M300 supports 198.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Xeon E5502 supports up to 144 GB of RAM compared to 8 — 178.9% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Athlon II M300) vs 3 (Xeon E5502). PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II M300) vs 32 (Xeon E5502) — the Xeon E5502 offers 32 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: S1g3 (Athlon II M300) and Intel 5500,Intel 5520,Intel X58 (Xeon E5502).
| Feature | Athlon II M300 | Xeon E5502 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1g3 | LGA1366 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | 800+26567% | DDR3-800 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 | 144 GB+1887436700% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 3+50% |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 32 |
Advanced Features
Both support true virtualization. Direct competitor: Athlon II M300 rivals Core 2 Duo T6400.
| Feature | Athlon II M300 | Xeon E5502 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| IGPU Model | None | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | true | true |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II M300 launched at $100 MSRP, while the Xeon E5502 debuted at $188. At current prices ($10 vs $39), the Athlon II M300 is $29 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II M300 delivers 170.0 pts/$ vs 44.2 pts/$ for the Xeon E5502 — making the Athlon II M300 the 117.4% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II M300 | Xeon E5502 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $100-47% | $188 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10-74% | $39 |
| Performance per Dollar | 170.0+285% | 44.2 |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2009 |
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