Athlon II N370 vs Athlon II X2 250

Athlon II N370 vs Athlon II X2 250 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II N370

2 / 2

1,085

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Athlon II X2 250

2 / 2

1,080

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 N370 vs Athlon II X2 250 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 N370 vs Athlon II X2 250: 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 N370

2010

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $27 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $87 MSRP).
✅Delivers 45.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 18.1 vs 12.4 PassMark/$ ($60 MSRP vs $87 MSRP).
✅Draws 1W instead of 65W, a 64W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 250.

Athlon II X2 250

2009

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (true), unlike Athlon II N370.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,080 vs 1,085).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 12.4 vs 18.1 PassMark/$ ($87 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).
❌6400% higher power demand at 65W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II N370 better than Athlon II X2 250?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X2 250 is ahead with 20% higher max boost clock. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II N370 pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II N370 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon II N370 is the better buy right now. Athlon II N370 comes in $27 cheaper on MSRP at $60 MSRP versus $87 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better PassMark. The compromise is that Athlon II X2 250 is still the better pure gaming CPU with 20% higher max boost clock. It is also 45.7% better value on MSRP (18.1 vs 12.4 PassMark/$), 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 N370 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2009) and 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 N370 vs Athlon II X2 250 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II N370

The Athlon II N370 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: 2.5 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,085 points. Launch price was $149.

Athlon II X2 250

The Athlon II X2 250 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 June 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,080 points. Launch price was $39.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II N370 and Athlon II X2 250 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Athlon II N370 versus 3 GHz on the Athlon II X2 250 — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 250. The Athlon II N370 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II X2 250 uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II N370 scores 1,085 against the Athlon II X2 250's 1,080 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon II N370.

Feature	Athlon II N370	Athlon II X2 250
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz	3 GHz+20%
Base Clock	—	3 GHz
L3 Cache	—	0 kB
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB+100%
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Champlain (2010−2011)	Regor (2009−2013)
PassMark	1,085	1,080
Geekbench 6 Single	220	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	420	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II N370 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X2 250 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Athlon II N370 versus 1333 on the Athlon II X2 250 — the Athlon II X2 250 supports 25% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X2 250 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,SB850 (Athlon II N370) and AM2+,AM3 (Athlon II X2 250).

Feature	Athlon II N370	Athlon II X2 250
Socket	S1	AM3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	1333+25%
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 N370) vs true (Athlon II X2 250). Primary use case: Athlon II N370 targets Legacy Laptop. Direct competitor: Athlon II N370 rivals Pentium P6100; Athlon II X2 250 rivals Pentium E5700.

Feature	Athlon II N370	Athlon II X2 250
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	—	None
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	true
Target Use	Legacy Laptop	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II N370 was priced at $60, while the Athlon II X2 250 came in at $87. On launch pricing ($60 vs $87), Athlon II N370 was $27 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II N370 delivers 18.1 pts/$ vs 12.4 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 250 — making the Athlon II N370 the 37.2% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II N370	Athlon II X2 250
MSRP	$60-31%	$87
Performance per Dollar	18.1+46%	12.4
Release Date	2010	2009

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