Athlon II X2 235e vs Atom E3845

AMD

Athlon II X2 235e

2 Cores2 Thrd45 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2009
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Atom E3845

4 Cores4 Thrd10 WWMax: 1.91 GHz2013
Similar parts
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Athlon II X2 235e vs Atom E3845 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 X2 235e vs Atom E3845 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 235e vs Atom E3845: 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 235e

2009

Why buy it

  • Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Atom E3845.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $69 MSRP, while Atom E3845 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 350% higher power demand at 45W vs 10W.
  • No integrated graphics, while Atom E3845 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Atom E3845

2013

Why buy it

  • Draws 10W instead of 45W, a 35W reduction.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), while Athlon II X2 235e needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (1,071 vs 1,079).
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 235e.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X2 235e better than Atom E3845?
Yes. Athlon II X2 235e is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you 0.7% 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 235e has the edge because it leads the single-thread side of this matchup with 41.4% higher max boost clock.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X2 235e 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 X2 235e is the better buy right now. Athlon II X2 235e comes in at an unclear MSRP at $69 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% higher PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (15.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Atom E3845 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X2 235e vs Atom E3845 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon II X2 235e

The Athlon II X2 235e 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: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,079 points. Launch price was $84.

Intel

Atom E3845

The Atom E3845 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 October 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-I (2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 1.91 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,071 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

The Athlon II X2 235e packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Atom E3845 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Atom E3845 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X2 235e versus 1.91 GHz on the Atom E3845 — a 34.3% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 235e. The Athlon II X2 235e uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Atom E3845 uses Bay Trail-I (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 235e scores 1,079 against the Atom E3845's 1,071 — a 0.7% lead for the Athlon II X2 235e. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

FeatureAthlon II X2 235eAtom E3845
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock
2.7 GHz+41%
1.91 GHz
Base Clock
2.7 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
0 kB
L2 Cache
1 MB+100%
512 kB (per core)
Process
45 nm
22 nm-51%
Architecture
Regor (2009−2013)
Bay Trail-I (2013)
PassMark
1,079
1,071
Geekbench 6 Single
240
Geekbench 6 Multi
450
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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 235e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom E3845 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Athlon II X2 235e supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X2 235e) vs 4 (Atom E3845) — the Atom E3845 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: 760G,780G,785G,790GX (Athlon II X2 235e) and Intel FCBGA1170 (Atom E3845).

FeatureAthlon II X2 235eAtom E3845
Socket
AM3
FCBGA1170
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1333
DDR3L-1333
Max RAM Capacity
16 GB+100%
8 GB
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
Yes
Yes
PCIe Lanes
0
4
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Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 235e) / not specified (Atom E3845). The Atom E3845 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail)), while the Athlon II X2 235e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X2 235e targets Energy Efficient Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 235e rivals Pentium E5300.

FeatureAthlon II X2 235eAtom E3845
Integrated GPU
No
Yes
IGPU Model
Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail)
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Energy Efficient Legacy Desktop