Athlon II X2 240 vs Atom E3845

Athlon II X2 240 vs Atom E3845 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X2 240

2 / 2

1,060

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Atom E3845

4 / 4

1,071

+1.0%

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 240 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 240 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 240

2009

Why buy it

✅300% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 4) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (AMD Stock), unlike Atom E3845.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Atom E3845 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,060 vs 1,071).
❌Launch MSRP is still $60 MSRP, while Atom E3845 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌550% higher power demand at 65W vs 10W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Atom E3845 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Atom E3845

2013

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 10W instead of 65W, a 55W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), while Athlon II X2 240 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 240.

Quick Answers

So, is Atom E3845 better than Athlon II X2 240?

Yes. Atom E3845 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 3.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Atom E3845 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 3.7% 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, Atom E3845 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Atom E3845 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Atom E3845 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $60 MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon II X2 240 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2009 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (17.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on AM3.

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) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon II X2 240 vs Atom E3845 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X2 240

The Athlon II X2 240 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 July 2009 (16 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: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,060 points. Launch price was $35.

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.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X2 240 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Atom E3845 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Atom E3845 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Athlon II X2 240 versus 1.91 GHz on the Atom E3845 — a 37.8% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 240. The Athlon II X2 240 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 240 scores 1,060 against the Atom E3845's 1,071 — a 1% lead for the Atom E3845. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon II X2 240	Atom E3845
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz+47%	1.91 GHz
Base Clock	2.8 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	512 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Regor (2009−2013)	Bay Trail-I (2013)
PassMark	1,060	1,071+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	373	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	700	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 240 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom E3845 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Athlon II X2 240 versus DDR3L-1333 on the Atom E3845 — the Atom E3845 supports 25% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X2 240 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: 16 (Athlon II X2 240) vs 4 (Atom E3845) — the Athlon II X2 240 offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: 760G,785G,790GX,880G,890GX (Athlon II X2 240) and Intel FCBGA1170 (Atom E3845).

Feature	Athlon II X2 240	Atom E3845
Socket	AM3	FCBGA1170
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	DDR3L-1333+25%
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB+100%	8 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16+300%	4

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 240) / not specified (Atom E3845). The Atom E3845 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail)), while the Athlon II X2 240 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X2 240 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 240 rivals Pentium E5400.