Athlon II X2 215 vs Pentium 2117U

Athlon II X2 215 vs Pentium 2117U Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X2 215

2 / 2

1,011

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium 2117U

2 / 2

1,009

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 X2 215 vs Pentium 2117U 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 X2 215 vs Pentium 2117U: 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 X2 215

2009

Why buy it

✅Draws 65W instead of 512W, a 447W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (true), unlike Pentium 2117U.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $45 MSRP, while Pentium 2117U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Pentium 2117U

2012

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,009 vs 1,011).
❌687.7% higher power demand at 512W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 215.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X2 215 better than Pentium 2117U?

Yes. Athlon II X2 215 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.2% 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 X2 215 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.7% 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 X2 215 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon II X2 215 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X2 215 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $45 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (22.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 2117U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X2 215 vs Pentium 2117U Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X2 215

The Athlon II X2 215 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,011 points. Launch price was $45.

Pentium 2117U

The Pentium 2117U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,009 points. Launch price was $134.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon II X2 215 and Pentium 2117U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X2 215 versus 1.8 GHz on the Pentium 2117U — a 40% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 215 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Athlon II X2 215 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium 2117U uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 215 scores 1,011 against the Pentium 2117U's 1,009 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon II X2 215. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 215 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 2117U.

Feature	Athlon II X2 215	Pentium 2117U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.7 GHz+50%	1.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz+50%	1.8 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)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	1,011	1,009
Geekbench 6 Single	274	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	674	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 215 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 2117U uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II X2 215	Pentium 2117U
Socket	AM3	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Athlon II X2 215) / not specified (Pentium 2117U). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 215 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 215 rivals Pentium E5400.