Athlon II Neo K345 vs Pentium A1018

Athlon II Neo K345 vs Pentium A1018 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II Neo K345

2 / 2

1,191

+0.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium A1018

2 / 2

1,188

0.0%

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 Pentium A1018 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 Pentium A1018: 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 $82 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $132 MSRP).
✅Delivers 164.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 23.8 vs 9.0 PassMark/$ ($50 MSRP vs $132 MSRP).
✅Draws 1W instead of 35W, a 34W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Pentium A1018

2013

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,188 vs 1,191).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.0 vs 23.8 PassMark/$ ($132 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
❌3400% higher power demand at 35W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II Neo K345 better than Pentium A1018?

Yes. Athlon II Neo K345 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.3% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon II Neo K345 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.0% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II Neo K345 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 K345 is the better buy right now. Athlon II Neo K345 comes in $82 cheaper on MSRP at $50 MSRP versus $132 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 164.7% better value on MSRP (23.8 vs 9.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium A1018 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II Neo K345 vs Pentium A1018 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.

Pentium A1018

The Pentium A1018 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency: 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 1 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3/L/-RS 1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,188 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon II Neo K345 and Pentium A1018 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. The Athlon II Neo K345 is built on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. In PassMark, the Athlon II Neo K345 scores 1,191 against the Pentium A1018's 1,188 — a 0.3% lead for the Athlon II Neo K345.

Feature	Athlon II Neo K345	Pentium A1018
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.4 GHz	—
Base Clock	—	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	—	1 MB Intel® Smart Cache
L2 Cache	1 MB	—
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Champlain (2010−2011)	—
PassMark	1,191	1,188

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II Neo K345 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium A1018 uses PGA988 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II Neo K345	Pentium A1018
Socket	S1	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	—
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II Neo K345 was priced at $50, while the Pentium A1018 came in at $132. On launch pricing ($50 vs $132), Athlon II Neo K345 was $82 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II Neo K345 delivers 23.8 pts/$ vs 9.0 pts/$ for the Pentium A1018 — making the Athlon II Neo K345 the 90.3% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II Neo K345	Pentium A1018
MSRP	$50-62%	$132
Performance per Dollar	23.8+164%	9.0
Release Date	2010	2013

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