Athlon II M320 vs Athlon II P320
Athlon II M320
Athlon II P320
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 M320 is positioned at rank 809 and the Athlon II P320 is on rank 622, so the Athlon II P320 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 M320
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II P320
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II M320 | Athlon II P320 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Caspian (2009) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II M320 | Athlon II P320 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+1%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 M320 and Athlon II P320
Athlon II M320
The Athlon II M320 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: 2.1 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: 1,795 points. Launch price was $149.
Athlon II P320
The Athlon II P320 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,776 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II M320 and Athlon II P320 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Athlon II M320 versus 2.1 GHz on the Athlon II P320 — identical boost frequencies. The Athlon II M320 uses the Caspian (2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II P320 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II M320 scores 1,795 against the Athlon II P320's 1,776 — a 1.1% lead for the Athlon II M320. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 188 vs 189, a 0.5% lead for the Athlon II P320 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,955 vs 308 (145.6% advantage for the Athlon II M320).
| Feature | Athlon II M320 | Athlon II P320 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.1 GHz | 2.1 GHz |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Caspian (2009) | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,795+1% | 1,776 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 188 | 189 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,955+535% | 308 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II M320 uses the S1g3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II P320 uses S1g4 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-800 on the Athlon II M320 versus DDR3-1066 on the Athlon II P320 — the Athlon II P320 supports 40% 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: Socket S1g3 (Athlon II M320) and M880G (Athlon II P320).
| Feature | Athlon II M320 | Athlon II P320 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1g3 | S1g4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-800 | DDR3-1066+50% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. Primary use case: Athlon II M320 targets Legacy Laptop, Athlon II P320 targets Laptop. Direct competitor: Athlon II M320 rivals Core 2 Duo T6400; Athlon II P320 rivals Pentium P6000.
| Feature | Athlon II M320 | Athlon II P320 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| IGPU Model | None | None |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Legacy Laptop | Laptop |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II M320 launched at $75 MSRP, while the Athlon II P320 debuted at $50. At current prices ($15 vs $15), the Athlon II P320 is $0 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II M320 delivers 119.7 pts/$ vs 118.4 pts/$ for the Athlon II P320 — making the Athlon II M320 the 1.1% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II M320 | Athlon II P320 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $75 | $50-33% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 119.7+1% | 118.4 |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2010 |
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