Athlon II M340 vs Core 2 Duo U7500
Athlon II M340
Core 2 Duo U7500
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 M340 is positioned at rank 1001 and the Core 2 Duo U7500 is on rank 1051, so the Athlon II M340 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 M340
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo U7500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II M340 | Core 2 Duo U7500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Caspian (2009) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Merom-2048 (2006−2008) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II M340 | Core 2 Duo U7500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+50%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
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 M340 and Core 2 Duo U7500
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 U7500
The Core 2 Duo U7500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Merom-2048 (2006−2008) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.06 GHz, with boost up to 1.06 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: BGA479. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,116 points. Launch price was $249.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II M340 and Core 2 Duo U7500 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Athlon II M340 versus 1.06 GHz on the Core 2 Duo U7500 — a 69.9% clock advantage for the Athlon II M340. The Athlon II M340 uses the Caspian (2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Duo U7500 uses Merom-2048 (2006−2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II M340 scores 1,115 against the Core 2 Duo U7500's 1,116 — a 0.1% lead for the Core 2 Duo U7500. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 858 vs 180, a 130.6% lead for the Athlon II M340 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,500 vs 320 (129.7% advantage for the Athlon II M340).
| Feature | Athlon II M340 | Core 2 Duo U7500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz+108% | 1.06 GHz |
| Base Clock | — | 1.06 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 2 MB+100% |
| Process | 45 nm-31% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Caspian (2009) | Merom-2048 (2006−2008) |
| PassMark | 1,115 | 1,116 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 858+377% | 180 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,500+369% | 320 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II M340 uses the S1g3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo U7500 uses BGA479 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR2-800 memory speed. The Athlon II M340 supports up to 8 GB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 120% 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 GM965,945GME (Core 2 Duo U7500).
| Feature | Athlon II M340 | Core 2 Duo U7500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1g3 | BGA479 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-800 | DDR2-533 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB+300% | 2 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II M340) vs VT-x (Core 2 Duo U7500). Primary use case: Athlon II M340 targets Laptop, Core 2 Duo U7500 targets Ultra Low Voltage Laptop.
| Feature | Athlon II M340 | Core 2 Duo U7500 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | VT-x |
| Target Use | Laptop | Ultra Low Voltage Laptop |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II M340 launched at $80 MSRP, while the Core 2 Duo U7500 debuted at $100. At current prices ($15 vs $10), the Core 2 Duo U7500 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II M340 delivers 74.3 pts/$ vs 111.6 pts/$ for the Core 2 Duo U7500 — making the Core 2 Duo U7500 the 40.1% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II M340 | Core 2 Duo U7500 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $80-20% | $100 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $10-33% |
| Performance per Dollar | 74.3 | 111.6+50% |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2006 |
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