Athlon II P340 vs Core i5-2515E

AMD

Athlon II P340

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2010
VS
Intel

Core i5-2515E

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.5 GHz2011

Athlon II P340 vs Core i5-2515E 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 P340 vs Core i5-2515E 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 P340 vs Core i5-2515E: 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 P340

2010

Why buy it

  • βœ…+0.7% higher PassMark.
  • βœ…Draws 1W instead of 35W, a 34W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-2515E can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-2515E

2011

Why buy it

  • βœ…100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • βœ…Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 3000, while Athlon II P340 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower PassMark (1,882 vs 1,895).
  • ❌3400% higher power demand at 35W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II P340 better than Core i5-2515E?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-2515E is ahead with a 1.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II P340 pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II P340 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Athlon II P340 still makes the most sense overall. Athlon II P340 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% better PassMark.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Core i5-2515E makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2011 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II P340 vs Core i5-2515E Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon II P340

The Athlon II P340 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010βˆ’2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,895 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Core i5-2515E

The Core i5-2515E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011βˆ’2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,882 points. Launch price was $266.

⚑

Processing Power

The Athlon II P340 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i5-2515E's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Athlon II P340 versus 2.5 GHz on the Core i5-2515E β€” a 12.8% clock advantage for the Core i5-2515E. The Athlon II P340 uses the Champlain (2010βˆ’2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-2515E uses Sandy Bridge (2011βˆ’2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II P340 scores 1,895 against the Core i5-2515E's 1,882 β€” a 0.7% lead for the Athlon II P340.

FeatureAthlon II P340Core i5-2515E
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 4
Boost Clock
2.2 GHz
2.5 GHz+14%
Base Clock
β€”
2.5 GHz
L3 Cache
β€”
3 MB (total)
L2 Cache
1 MB
256K (per core)+25500%
Process
45 nm
32 nm-29%
Architecture
Champlain (2010βˆ’2011)
Sandy Bridge (2011βˆ’2013)
PassMark
1,895
1,882
Geekbench 6 Single
β€”
530
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II P340 uses the S1g4 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-2515E uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) β€” making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1066 on the Athlon II P340 versus DDR3-1333 on the Core i5-2515E β€” the Core i5-2515E supports 25% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i5-2515E supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB β€” 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II P340) vs 16 (Core i5-2515E) β€” the Core i5-2515E offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: S1g4 (Athlon II P340) and HM65,QM67 (Core i5-2515E).

FeatureAthlon II P340Core i5-2515E
Socket
S1g4
BGA1023
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
1066
DDR3-1333+25%
Max RAM Capacity
8 GB
16 GB+100%
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
No
No
PCIe Lanes
0
16
πŸ”§

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Athlon II P340) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-2515E). The Core i5-2515E includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 3000), while the Athlon II P340 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-2515E targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Athlon II P340 rivals Pentium P6000; Core i5-2515E rivals Embedded R-Series.

FeatureAthlon II P340Core i5-2515E
Integrated GPU
No
Yes
IGPU Model
None
HD Graphics 3000
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
true
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use
β€”
Embedded
πŸ’°

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II P340 was priced at $0, while the Core i5-2515E came in at $0. On launch pricing ($0 vs $0), Core i5-2515E was $0 cheaper.

FeatureAthlon II P340Core i5-2515E
MSRP
$0
$0
Release Date
2010
2011

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