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Athlon II X2 220 vs Pentium T4200

CPUCPUGPUGPU
AMD

Athlon II X2 220

2 Cores2 Thrd65 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2010

Popular choices:

•••••••••
VS
Intel

Pentium T4200

35 WW2009

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Athlon II X2 220
2 / 2
1,046
0.0%
brand logoAthlon 64 3500+
brand logoAthlon 64 FX-55
brand logoAthlon 64 X2 TK-42
brand logoAthlon X2 BE-2300
brand logoRyzen 5 PRO 5650G
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper 3990X
Pentium T4200
1,055
+0.9%
brand logoCore Duo T2050
brand logoCeleron N3000
brand logoCeleron J1800
brand logoPentium Dual-Core E2180
brand logoCore i5-12490F
brand logoCore Ultra 5 245HX
brand logoXeon W-3375
brand logoXeon w9-3575X

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Athlon II X2 220

2010

Why buy it

  • ✅Costs $67 less on MSRP ($32 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
  • ✅Delivers 206.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 32.7 vs 10.7 PassMark/$ ($32 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
  • ✅Includes a boxed cooler (true), unlike Pentium T4200.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower PassMark (1,046 vs 1,055).
  • ❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Pentium T4200

2009

Why buy it

  • ✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.7 vs 32.7 PassMark/$ ($99 MSRP vs $32 MSRP).
  • ❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 220.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium T4200 better than Athlon II X2 220?
Yes. Pentium T4200 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Pentium T4200 is the better fit because it leads the single-thread side of the matchup with 0.9% stronger overall PassMark.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium T4200 is the better fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Pentium T4200 is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Pentium T4200 is 209.4% more expensive on MSRP at $99 MSRP versus $32 MSRP, and it gives you 0.9% higher PassMark. Athlon II X2 220 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 206.7% better value on paper (32.7 vs 10.7 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on AM3.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Athlon II X2 220 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetAthlon II X2 220Pentium T4200
1080p
low26 FPS26 FPS
medium26 FPS26 FPS
high26 FPS26 FPS
ultra26 FPS26 FPS
1440p
low26 FPS26 FPS
medium26 FPS26 FPS
high26 FPS26 FPS
ultra26 FPS26 FPS
4K
low26 FPS26 FPS
medium26 FPS26 FPS
high26 FPS26 FPS
ultra26 FPS26 FPS
Open Athlon II X2 220Open Pentium T4200
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetAthlon II X2 220Pentium T4200
1080p
low26 FPS26 FPS
medium26 FPS26 FPS
high26 FPS26 FPS
ultra26 FPS26 FPS
1440p
low26 FPS26 FPS
medium26 FPS26 FPS
high26 FPS26 FPS
ultra26 FPS26 FPS
4K
low26 FPS26 FPS
medium26 FPS26 FPS
high26 FPS26 FPS
ultra26 FPS26 FPS
Open Athlon II X2 220Open Pentium T4200
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetAthlon II X2 220Pentium T4200
1080p
low26 FPS26 FPS
medium26 FPS26 FPS
high26 FPS26 FPS
ultra26 FPS26 FPS
1440p
low26 FPS26 FPS
medium26 FPS26 FPS
high26 FPS26 FPS
ultra26 FPS26 FPS
4K
low26 FPS26 FPS
medium26 FPS26 FPS
high26 FPS26 FPS
ultra26 FPS26 FPS
Open Athlon II X2 220Open Pentium T4200
Valorant

Valorant

PresetAthlon II X2 220Pentium T4200
1080p
low26 FPS26 FPS
medium26 FPS26 FPS
high26 FPS26 FPS
ultra26 FPS26 FPS
1440p
low26 FPS26 FPS
medium26 FPS26 FPS
high26 FPS26 FPS
ultra26 FPS26 FPS
4K
low26 FPS26 FPS
medium26 FPS26 FPS
high26 FPS26 FPS
ultra26 FPS26 FPS
Open Athlon II X2 220Open Pentium T4200
Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Athlon II X2 220 and Pentium T4200

AMD

Athlon II X2 220

The Athlon II X2 220 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 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: 1,046 points. Launch price was $32.

Intel

Pentium T4200

The Pentium T4200 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. Base frequency: 2 GHz. L3 cache: 1 MB L2 Cache. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,055 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon II X2 220 is built on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 220 scores 1,046 against the Pentium T4200's 1,055 — a 0.9% lead for the Pentium T4200. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 220 vs 1 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium T4200.

FeatureAthlon II X2 220Pentium T4200
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
—
Boost Clock
2.8 GHz
—
Base Clock
2.8 GHz+40%
2 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
1 MB L2 Cache
L2 Cache
512 kB
—
Process
45 nm
45 nm
Architecture
Regor (2009−2013)
—
PassMark
1,046
1,055
Geekbench 6 Single
285
—
Geekbench 6 Multi
500
—
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 220 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium T4200 uses PGA478 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureAthlon II X2 220Pentium T4200
Socket
AM3
PGA478
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
1333
—
Max RAM Capacity
16
—
RAM Channels
2
—
ECC Support
No
—
PCIe Lanes
0
—
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Athlon II X2 220) / not specified (Pentium T4200). Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 220 rivals Pentium E5500.

FeatureAthlon II X2 220Pentium T4200
Integrated GPU
No
—
IGPU Model
None
—
Unlocked
No
—
AVX-512
No
—
Virtualization
true
—
💰

Value Analysis

The Athlon II X2 220 launched at $32 MSRP, while the Pentium T4200 debuted at $99. On MSRP ($32 vs $99), the Athlon II X2 220 is $67 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 220 delivers 32.7 pts/$ vs 10.7 pts/$ for the Pentium T4200 — making the Athlon II X2 220 the 101.7% better value option.

FeatureAthlon II X2 220Pentium T4200
MSRP
$32-68%
$99
Performance per Dollar
32.7+206%
10.7
Release Date
2010
2009