Athlon II M340 vs Core 2 Duo E8435

Athlon II M340 vs Core 2 Duo E8435 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II M340

2 / 2

1,115

+1.0%

Mobile Athlon 64 3700+

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core 2 Duo E8435

2 / 2

1,104

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 II M340 vs Core 2 Duo E8435 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 M340 vs Core 2 Duo E8435: 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 M340

2009

Why buy it

✅+233.9% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($80 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅Delivers 89.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.9 vs 7.4 PassMark/$ ($80 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
✅Draws 1W instead of 44W, a 43W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core 2 Duo E8435

2009

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (257 vs 858).
❌Lower PassMark (1,104 vs 1,115).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.4 vs 13.9 PassMark/$ ($150 MSRP vs $80 MSRP).
❌4300% higher power demand at 44W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II M340 better than Core 2 Duo E8435?

Yes. Athlon II M340 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you 1% better PassMark and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon II M340 has the edge because it leads the single-thread side of this matchup with 233.9% stronger Geekbench single-core performance.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II M340 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Athlon II M340 is the better buy right now. Athlon II M340 comes in $70 cheaper on MSRP at $80 MSRP versus $150 MSRP, and it still gives you 1.0% higher PassMark. It is also 89.4% better value on MSRP (13.9 vs 7.4 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Athlon II M340 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 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 II M340 vs Core 2 Duo E8435 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II M340

The Athlon II M340 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: 2.2 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: 1,115 points. Launch price was $149.

Core 2 Duo E8435

The Core 2 Duo E8435 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.067 GHz, with boost up to 0.07 GHz. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: P. Thermal design power (TDP): 44 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,104 points. Launch price was $249.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II M340 and Core 2 Duo E8435 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Athlon II M340 versus 0.07 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E8435 — a 187.7% clock advantage for the Athlon II M340. The Athlon II M340 uses the Caspian (2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Duo E8435 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II M340 scores 1,115 against the Core 2 Duo E8435's 1,104 — a 1% lead for the Athlon II M340. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 858 vs 257, a 107.8% lead for the Athlon II M340 that directly translates to higher frame rates.

Feature	Athlon II M340	Core 2 Duo E8435
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz+3043%	0.07 GHz
Base Clock	—	3.067 GHz
L2 Cache	1 MB	6 MB (total)+500%
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Caspian (2009)	Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark	1,115	1,104
Geekbench 6 Single	858+234%	257
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,500	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II M340 uses the S1g3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo E8435 uses P (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-800 on the Athlon II M340 versus DDR3-1333 on the Core 2 Duo E8435 — the Core 2 Duo E8435 supports 66.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core 2 Duo E8435 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: RS880M (Athlon II M340) and Socket P (Core 2 Duo E8435).

Feature	Athlon II M340	Core 2 Duo E8435
Socket	S1g3	P
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-800	DDR3-1333+67%
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	16 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II M340) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core 2 Duo E8435). Primary use case: Athlon II M340 targets Laptop.

Feature	Athlon II M340	Core 2 Duo E8435
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Laptop	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II M340 was priced at $80, while the Core 2 Duo E8435 came in at $150. On launch pricing ($80 vs $150), Athlon II M340 was $70 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II M340 delivers 13.9 pts/$ vs 7.4 pts/$ for the Core 2 Duo E8435 — making the Athlon II M340 the 61.8% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II M340	Core 2 Duo E8435
MSRP	$80-47%	$150
Performance per Dollar	13.9+88%	7.4
Release Date	2009	2009

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