Athlon II X2 210e vs Celeron 2980U
Athlon II X2 210e
Celeron 2980U
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon II X2 210e is positioned at rank 837 and the Celeron 2980U is on rank 392, so the Celeron 2980U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 210e
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 2980U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 210e | Celeron 2980U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($28) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 210e | Celeron 2980U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($28) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon II X2 210e and Celeron 2980U
Athlon II X2 210e
The Athlon II X2 210e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,089 points. Launch price was $149.
Celeron 2980U
The Celeron 2980U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,092 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X2 210e and Celeron 2980U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 210e versus 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 2980U — a 47.6% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 210e (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Athlon II X2 210e uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron 2980U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 210e scores 1,089 against the Celeron 2980U's 1,092 — a 0.3% lead for the Celeron 2980U. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 210e vs 2 MB (total) on the Celeron 2980U.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 210e | Celeron 2980U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz+63% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz+63% | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB+100% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 1,089 | 1,092 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 354 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 694 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X2 210e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron 2980U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1333 on the Athlon II X2 210e versus DDR3L-1600 on the Celeron 2980U — the Athlon II X2 210e supports 199.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 16 of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X2 210e) vs 12 (Celeron 2980U) — the Celeron 2980U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AM2+,AM3 (Athlon II X2 210e) and Haswell-ULT (Celeron 2980U).
| Feature | Athlon II X2 210e | Celeron 2980U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | 1333+44333% | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 | 16 GB+104857500% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 12 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Athlon II X2 210e) vs VT-x (Celeron 2980U). The Celeron 2980U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Haswell)), while the Athlon II X2 210e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 2980U targets Low Power. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 210e rivals Pentium E5300; Celeron 2980U rivals AMD A4-5000.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 210e | Celeron 2980U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | None | Intel HD Graphics (Haswell) |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | true | VT-x |
| Target Use | — | Low Power |
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