Athlon II P320 vs Athlon II X4 600e

Athlon II P320 vs Athlon II X4 600e Performance Spectrum

Athlon II P320

2 / 2

1,776

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Athlon II X4 600e

4 / 4

1,795

+1.1%

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 P320 vs Athlon II X4 600e 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 P320 vs Athlon II X4 600e: 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 P320

2010

Why buy it

✅Costs $50 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
✅Delivers 97.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 35.5 vs 17.9 PassMark/$ ($50 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
✅Draws 1W instead of 45W, a 44W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,776 vs 1,795).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X4 600e.

Athlon II X4 600e

2009

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Athlon II P320.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.9 vs 35.5 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
❌4400% higher power demand at 45W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X4 600e better than Athlon II P320?

Yes. Athlon II X4 600e is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1.1% 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 X4 600e is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.5% 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 X4 600e is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon II X4 600e is still the much better call for a fresh build. Athlon II X4 600e comes in 100.0% more expensive on MSRP at $100 MSRP versus $50 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon II P320 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 97.9% better value on paper (35.5 vs 17.9 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on S1g4.

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

Athlon II P320 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 P320 vs Athlon II X4 600e Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II P320

The Athlon II P320 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: 2.1 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,776 points. Launch price was $149.

Athlon II X4 600e

The Athlon II X4 600e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,795 points. Launch price was $130.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II P320 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Athlon II X4 600e offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 600e has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Athlon II P320 versus 2.2 GHz on the Athlon II X4 600e — a 4.7% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 600e. The Athlon II P320 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II X4 600e uses Propus (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II P320 scores 1,776 against the Athlon II X4 600e's 1,795 — a 1.1% lead for the Athlon II X4 600e.

Feature	Athlon II P320	Athlon II X4 600e
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.1 GHz	2.2 GHz+5%
Base Clock	—	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	—	0 kB
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	512 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Champlain (2010−2011)	Propus (2009−2011)
PassMark	1,776	1,795+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	189	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	308	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II P320 uses the S1g4 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X4 600e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Athlon II P320 versus DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X4 600e — the Athlon II X4 600e supports 25% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X4 600e supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II P320) vs 16 (Athlon II X4 600e) — the Athlon II X4 600e offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: M880G (Athlon II P320) and Socket AM3 (Athlon II X4 600e).

Feature	Athlon II P320	Athlon II X4 600e
Socket	S1g4	AM3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	DDR3-1333+25%
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	16 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. Primary use case: Athlon II P320 targets Laptop. Direct competitor: Athlon II P320 rivals Pentium P6000.

Feature	Athlon II P320	Athlon II X4 600e
Integrated GPU	No	No
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	AMD-V
Target Use	Laptop	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II P320 was priced at $50, while the Athlon II X4 600e came in at $100. On launch pricing ($50 vs $100), Athlon II P320 was $50 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II P320 delivers 35.5 pts/$ vs 17.9 pts/$ for the Athlon II X4 600e — making the Athlon II P320 the 65.7% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II P320	Athlon II X4 600e
MSRP	$50-50%	$100
Performance per Dollar	35.5+98%	17.9
Release Date	2010	2009

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