Athlon II Neo K125 vs Core 2 Duo SU7300

Athlon II Neo K125 vs Core 2 Duo SU7300 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II Neo K125

1 / 1

1,491

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core 2 Duo SU7300

2 / 2

1,496

+0.3%

Pentium U5600

Core i5-540UM

Pentium Extreme Edition 965

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 Neo K125 vs Core 2 Duo SU7300 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 Neo K125 vs Core 2 Duo SU7300: 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 Neo K125

2010

Why buy it

✅Costs $189 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $289 MSRP).
✅Delivers 188.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 14.9 vs 5.2 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $289 MSRP).
✅Draws 1W instead of 3W, a 2W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,491 vs 1,496).

Core 2 Duo SU7300

2009

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 5.2 vs 14.9 PassMark/$ ($289 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
❌200% higher power demand at 3W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II Neo K125 better than Core 2 Duo SU7300?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II Neo K125 is ahead with a 1.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core 2 Duo SU7300 pulls ahead with 0.3% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core 2 Duo SU7300 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon II Neo K125 is the better buy right now. Athlon II Neo K125 comes in $189 cheaper on MSRP at $100 MSRP versus $289 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Core 2 Duo SU7300 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.3% better PassMark. It is also 188.0% better value on MSRP (14.9 vs 5.2 PassMark/$), 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 Neo K125 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II Neo K125 vs Core 2 Duo SU7300 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II Neo K125

The Athlon II Neo K125 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Geneva (2010) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.7 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: 1,491 points. Launch price was $149.

Core 2 Duo SU7300

The Core 2 Duo SU7300 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 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 1.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB Intel® Smart Cache. L2 cache: 3 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: BGA956. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,496 points. Launch price was $249.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II Neo K125 packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Core 2 Duo SU7300 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Core 2 Duo SU7300 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 1.7 GHz on the Athlon II Neo K125 versus 1.3 GHz on the Core 2 Duo SU7300 — a 26.7% clock advantage for the Athlon II Neo K125. The Athlon II Neo K125 uses the Geneva (2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Duo SU7300 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II Neo K125 scores 1,491 against the Core 2 Duo SU7300's 1,496 — a 0.3% lead for the Core 2 Duo SU7300.

Feature	Athlon II Neo K125	Core 2 Duo SU7300
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	2 / 2+100%
Boost Clock	1.7 GHz+31%	1.3 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.3 GHz
L3 Cache	—	3 MB Intel® Smart Cache
L2 Cache	1 MB	3 MB+200%
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Geneva (2010)	Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark	1,491	1,496
Geekbench 6 Single	—	188
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	338

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II Neo K125 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo SU7300 uses BGA956 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-800 on the Athlon II Neo K125 versus DDR3-1066 on the Core 2 Duo SU7300 — the Core 2 Duo SU7300 supports 33.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core 2 Duo SU7300 supports up to 8 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AMD ASB2 (Athlon II Neo K125) and GS45,GM45 (Core 2 Duo SU7300).

Feature	Athlon II Neo K125	Core 2 Duo SU7300
Socket	S1	BGA956
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-800	DDR3-1066+33%
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB	8 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	0

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II Neo K125) / VT-x (Core 2 Duo SU7300). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo SU7300 targets Ultra-Low Voltage Laptop.

Feature	Athlon II Neo K125	Core 2 Duo SU7300
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x
Target Use	—	Ultra-Low Voltage Laptop

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II Neo K125 was priced at $100, while the Core 2 Duo SU7300 came in at $289. On launch pricing ($100 vs $289), Athlon II Neo K125 was $189 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II Neo K125 delivers 14.9 pts/$ vs 5.2 pts/$ for the Core 2 Duo SU7300 — making the Athlon II Neo K125 the 96.9% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II Neo K125	Core 2 Duo SU7300
MSRP	$100-65%	$289
Performance per Dollar	14.9+187%	5.2
Release Date	2010	2009

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