CPU
GPU
Athlon II Neo K125
Pentium G860
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 Neo K125 is positioned at rank 982 and the Pentium G860 is on rank 861, so the Pentium G860 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 Neo K125
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G860
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II Neo K125 | Pentium G860 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) | ✅ More affordable ($36) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Geneva (2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II Neo K125 | Pentium G860 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+177%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) | ✅ More affordable ($36) |
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 Neo K125 and Pentium G860
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.
Pentium G860
The Pentium G860 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,485 points. Launch price was $75.
Processing Power
The Athlon II Neo K125 packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Pentium G860 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Pentium G860 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 1.7 GHz on the Athlon II Neo K125 versus 3 GHz on the Pentium G860 — a 55.3% clock advantage for the Pentium G860. The Athlon II Neo K125 uses the Geneva (2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium G860 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II Neo K125 scores 1,491 against the Pentium G860's 1,485 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon II Neo K125.
| Feature | Athlon II Neo K125 | Pentium G860 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 2 / 2+100% |
| Boost Clock | 1.7 GHz | 3 GHz+76% |
| Base Clock | — | 3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Geneva (2010) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,491 | 1,485 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II Neo K125 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium G860 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-800 memory speed. The Pentium G860 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II Neo K125) vs 16 (Pentium G860) — the Pentium G860 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Athlon II Neo K125 | Pentium G860 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1 | LGA1155 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-800 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 4 GB | 32 GB+700% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II Neo K125) / VT-x (Pentium G860). The Pentium G860 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics), while the Athlon II Neo K125 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium G860 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Athlon II Neo K125 | Pentium G860 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x |
| Target Use | — | Desktop |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II Neo K125 launched at $100 MSRP, while the Pentium G860 debuted at $86. At current prices ($100 vs $36), the Pentium G860 is $64 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II Neo K125 delivers 14.9 pts/$ vs 41.3 pts/$ for the Pentium G860 — making the Pentium G860 the 93.8% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II Neo K125 | Pentium G860 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $100 | $86-14% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $100 | $36-64% |
| Performance per Dollar | 14.9 | 41.3+177% |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2011 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Athlon II Neo K125 and Pentium G860
