Athlon II Neo K145 vs Atom S1260

AMD

Athlon II Neo K145

1 Cores1 Thrd1 WWMax: 1.8 GHz2010
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VS
Intel

Atom S1260

2 Cores4 Thrd9 WWMax: 2 GHz2012
Similar parts
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Athlon II Neo K145 vs Atom S1260 Performance Spectrum

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 K145 vs Atom S1260 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 K145 vs Atom S1260: 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 K145

2010

Why buy it

  • +1.8% higher PassMark.
  • Draws 1W instead of 9W, a 8W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $50 MSRP, while Atom S1260 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Atom S1260

2012

Why buy it

  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (555 vs 565).
  • 800% higher power demand at 9W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II Neo K145 better than Atom S1260?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Atom S1260 is ahead with 11.1% higher max boost clock. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II Neo K145 pulls ahead with 1.8% better PassMark.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II Neo K145 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.8% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Athlon II Neo K145 is the better buy right now. Athlon II Neo K145 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $50 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 1.8% better PassMark. The compromise is that Atom S1260 is still the better pure gaming CPU with 11.1% higher max boost clock. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (11.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Atom S1260 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II Neo K145 vs Atom S1260 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon II Neo K145

The Athlon II Neo K145 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Nile (2010) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.8 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: 565 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Atom S1260

The Atom S1260 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 December 2012 (12 years ago). It is based on the Centerton (2012) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1283. Thermal design power (TDP): 8.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 555 points. Launch price was $64.

Processing Power

The Athlon II Neo K145 packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Atom S1260 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Atom S1260 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the Athlon II Neo K145 versus 2 GHz on the Atom S1260 — a 10.5% clock advantage for the Atom S1260. The Athlon II Neo K145 uses the Nile (2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Atom S1260 uses Centerton (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II Neo K145 scores 565 against the Atom S1260's 555 — a 1.8% lead for the Athlon II Neo K145.

FeatureAthlon II Neo K145Atom S1260
Cores / Threads
1 / 1
2 / 4+100%
Boost Clock
1.8 GHz
2 GHz+11%
Base Clock
2 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
L2 Cache
1 MB+100%
512 kB (per core)
Process
45 nm
32 nm-29%
Architecture
Nile (2010)
Centerton (2012)
PassMark
565+2%
555
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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II Neo K145 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom S1260 uses FCBGA1283 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Athlon II Neo K145 versus DDR3-1333 on the Atom S1260 — the Atom S1260 supports 25% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Atom S1260 supports up to 8 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Athlon II Neo K145) vs 1 (Atom S1260). PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II Neo K145) vs 8 (Atom S1260) — the Atom S1260 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD ASB2 (Athlon II Neo K145) and Intel BGA1283 (Atom S1260).

FeatureAthlon II Neo K145Atom S1260
Socket
S1
FCBGA1283
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1066
DDR3-1333+25%
Max RAM Capacity
4 GB
8 GB+100%
RAM Channels
2+100%
1
ECC Support
No
Yes
PCIe Lanes
0
8