Athlon II M340 vs Phenom II X2 B53
Athlon II M340
Phenom II X2 B53
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 Phenom II X2 B53 is on rank 1038, 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 Phenom II X2 B53
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II M340 | Phenom II X2 B53 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Caspian (2009) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Callisto (2009−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II M340 | Phenom II X2 B53 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+2%) |
| 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 M340 and Phenom II X2 B53
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.
Phenom II X2 B53
The Phenom II X2 B53 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Callisto (2009−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,137 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II M340 and Phenom II X2 B53 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Athlon II M340 versus 2.8 GHz on the Phenom II X2 B53 — a 24% clock advantage for the Phenom II X2 B53. The Athlon II M340 uses the Caspian (2009) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X2 B53 uses Callisto (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II M340 scores 1,115 against the Phenom II X2 B53's 1,137 — a 2% lead for the Phenom II X2 B53. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 858 vs 300, a 96.4% lead for the Athlon II M340 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,500 vs 550 (92.7% advantage for the Athlon II M340).
| Feature | Athlon II M340 | Phenom II X2 B53 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz | 2.8 GHz+27% |
| Base Clock | — | 2.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 6 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+100% | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Caspian (2009) | Callisto (2009−2010) |
| PassMark | 1,115 | 1,137+2% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 858+186% | 300 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,500+173% | 550 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II M340 uses the S1g3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X2 B53 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-800 on the Athlon II M340 versus DDR3-1333 on the Phenom II X2 B53 — the Phenom II X2 B53 supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Phenom II X2 B53 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 66.7% 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 AM3,AM2+ (Phenom II X2 B53).
| Feature | Athlon II M340 | Phenom II X2 B53 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1g3 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-800 | DDR3-1333+50% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 16 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II M340) vs Yes (Phenom II X2 B53). Primary use case: Athlon II M340 targets Laptop.
| Feature | Athlon II M340 | Phenom II X2 B53 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | Yes |
| Target Use | Laptop | — |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II M340 launched at $80 MSRP, while the Phenom II X2 B53 debuted at $150. At current prices ($15 vs $15), the Phenom II X2 B53 is $0 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II M340 delivers 74.3 pts/$ vs 75.8 pts/$ for the Phenom II X2 B53 — making the Phenom II X2 B53 the 2% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II M340 | Phenom II X2 B53 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $80-47% | $150 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 74.3 | 75.8+2% |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2009 |
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