Athlon II P320 vs Pentium Dual Core T2390

AMD

Athlon II P320

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.1 GHz2010
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Pentium Dual Core T2390

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 1.86 GHz2008
Similar parts
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Athlon II P320 vs Pentium Dual Core T2390 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 P320 vs Pentium Dual Core T2390 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 Pentium Dual Core T2390: 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 $36 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $86 MSRP).
  • Delivers 72.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 35.5 vs 20.6 PassMark/$ ($50 MSRP vs $86 MSRP).

Trade-offs

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

Pentium Dual Core T2390

2008

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • Lower PassMark (1,771 vs 1,776).
    • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 20.6 vs 35.5 PassMark/$ ($86 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).

    Quick Answers

    So, is Athlon II P320 better than Pentium Dual Core T2390?
    Yes. Athlon II P320 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.3% 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 P320 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.2% 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 P320 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 P320 is the better buy right now. Athlon II P320 comes in $36 cheaper on MSRP at $50 MSRP versus $86 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 72.5% better value on MSRP (35.5 vs 20.6 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
    Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
    Athlon II P320 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2008) and 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 P320 vs Pentium Dual Core T2390 Technical Specifications

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

    AMD

    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.

    Intel

    Pentium Dual Core T2390

    The Pentium Dual Core T2390 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.86 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,771 points. Launch price was $69.

    Processing Power

    Both the Athlon II P320 and Pentium Dual Core T2390 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.1 GHz on the Athlon II P320 versus 1.86 GHz on the Pentium Dual Core T2390 — a 12.1% clock advantage for the Athlon II P320. The Athlon II P320 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium Dual Core T2390 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II P320 scores 1,776 against the Pentium Dual Core T2390's 1,771 — a 0.3% lead for the Athlon II P320.

    FeatureAthlon II P320Pentium Dual Core T2390
    Cores / Threads
    2 / 2
    2 / 2
    Boost Clock
    2.1 GHz+13%
    1.86 GHz
    L2 Cache
    1 MB
    1 MB
    Process
    45 nm-31%
    65 nm
    Architecture
    Champlain (2010−2011)
    NetBurst (2000−2006)
    PassMark
    1,776
    1,771
    Geekbench 6 Single
    189
    Geekbench 6 Multi
    308
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Athlon II P320 uses the S1g4 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Dual Core T2390 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeatureAthlon II P320Pentium Dual Core T2390
    Socket
    S1g4
    PGA478
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 2.0+82%
    PCIe 1.1
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR3-1066
    Max RAM Capacity
    8 GB
    RAM Channels
    2
    ECC Support
    No
    PCIe Lanes
    0
    🔧

    Advanced Features

    Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II P320) / not specified (Pentium Dual Core T2390). Primary use case: Athlon II P320 targets Laptop. Direct competitor: Athlon II P320 rivals Pentium P6000.

    FeatureAthlon II P320Pentium Dual Core T2390
    Integrated GPU
    No
    IGPU Model
    None
    Unlocked
    No
    AVX-512
    No
    Virtualization
    AMD-V
    Target Use
    Laptop
    💰

    Value Analysis

    At launch, the Athlon II P320 was priced at $50, while the Pentium Dual Core T2390 came in at $86. On launch pricing ($50 vs $86), Athlon II P320 was $36 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II P320 delivers 35.5 pts/$ vs 20.6 pts/$ for the Pentium Dual Core T2390 — making the Athlon II P320 the 53.2% better value option.

    FeatureAthlon II P320Pentium Dual Core T2390
    MSRP
    $50-42%
    $86
    Performance per Dollar
    35.5+72%
    20.6
    Release Date
    2010
    2008

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