Athlon II Neo K345 vs Athlon II X2 250e

Athlon II Neo K345 vs Athlon II X2 250e Performance Spectrum

Athlon II Neo K345

2 / 2

1,191

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Athlon II X2 250e

2 / 2

1,202

+0.9%

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 Neo K345 vs Athlon II X2 250e 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 K345 vs Athlon II X2 250e: 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 K345

2010

Why buy it

✅Costs $27 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $77 MSRP).
✅Delivers 52.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 23.8 vs 15.6 PassMark/$ ($50 MSRP vs $77 MSRP).
✅Draws 1W instead of 45W, a 44W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,191 vs 1,202).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 250e.

Athlon II X2 250e

2010

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Athlon II Neo K345.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.6 vs 23.8 PassMark/$ ($77 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
❌4400% higher power demand at 45W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X2 250e better than Athlon II Neo K345?

Yes. Athlon II X2 250e is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you 0.9% better PassMark and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon II X2 250e has the edge because it leads the single-thread side of this matchup with 114.3% higher max boost clock.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X2 250e is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon II X2 250e is still the much better call for a fresh build. Athlon II X2 250e comes in 54.0% more expensive on MSRP at $77 MSRP versus $50 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.9% higher PassMark. Athlon II Neo K345 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 52.6% better value on paper (23.8 vs 15.6 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on S1.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Athlon II X2 250e makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 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 Neo K345 vs Athlon II X2 250e Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II Neo K345

The Athlon II Neo K345 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: 1.4 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: 1,191 points. Launch price was $149.

Athlon II X2 250e

The Athlon II X2 250e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 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: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,202 points. Launch price was $77.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II Neo K345 and Athlon II X2 250e share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.4 GHz on the Athlon II Neo K345 versus 3 GHz on the Athlon II X2 250e — a 72.7% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 250e. The Athlon II Neo K345 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II X2 250e uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II Neo K345 scores 1,191 against the Athlon II X2 250e's 1,202 — a 0.9% lead for the Athlon II X2 250e.

Feature	Athlon II Neo K345	Athlon II X2 250e
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.4 GHz	3 GHz+114%
Base Clock	—	3 GHz
L3 Cache	—	0 kB
L2 Cache	1 MB	1 MB
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Champlain (2010−2011)	Regor (2009−2013)
PassMark	1,191	1,202
Geekbench 6 Single	—	250
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	470

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II Neo K345 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X2 250e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Athlon II Neo K345 versus DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X2 250e — the Athlon II X2 250e supports 25% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X2 250e supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 300% 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 K345) and 760G,780G,785G,790GX (Athlon II X2 250e).

Feature	Athlon II Neo K345	Athlon II X2 250e
Socket	S1	AM3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	DDR3-1333+25%
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB	16 GB+300%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	0	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II Neo K345) / AMD-V (Athlon II X2 250e). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 250e targets Energy Efficient Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 250e rivals Pentium E5700.

Feature	Athlon II Neo K345	Athlon II X2 250e
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Energy Efficient Legacy Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II Neo K345 was priced at $50, while the Athlon II X2 250e came in at $77. On launch pricing ($50 vs $77), Athlon II Neo K345 was $27 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II Neo K345 delivers 23.8 pts/$ vs 15.6 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 250e — making the Athlon II Neo K345 the 41.6% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II Neo K345	Athlon II X2 250e
MSRP	$50-35%	$77
Performance per Dollar	23.8+53%	15.6
Release Date	2010	2010

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