Athlon II X2 240 vs Atom Z2560

Athlon II X2 240 vs Atom Z2560 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X2 240

2 / 2

1,060

+0.4%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Atom Z2560

2 / 4

1,056

0.0%

Core Duo T2050

Celeron N3000

Celeron J1800

Pentium Dual-Core E2180

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 Z2560 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 Z2560: 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

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (AMD Stock), unlike Atom Z2560.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $60 MSRP, while Atom Z2560 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2066.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 3W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Atom Z2560 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Atom Z2560

2013

Why buy it

✅Draws 3W instead of 65W, a 62W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with PowerVR SGX544MP2, while Athlon II X2 240 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,056 vs 1,060).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 240.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X2 240 better than Atom Z2560?

Yes. Athlon II X2 240 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.4% 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 240 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.9% 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 240 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon II X2 240 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X2 240 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $60 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (17.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Z2560 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 240 vs Atom Z2560 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 Z2560

The Atom Z2560 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 February 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Clovertrail (2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FC-MB4760. Thermal design power (TDP): 3 Watt. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,056 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X2 240 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Atom Z2560's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Athlon II X2 240 versus 1.6 GHz on the Atom Z2560 — a 54.5% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 240. The Athlon II X2 240 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Atom Z2560 uses Clovertrail (2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 240 scores 1,060 against the Atom Z2560's 1,056 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon II X2 240. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon II X2 240	Atom Z2560
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz+75%	1.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.8 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	2 MB	512K (per core)+25500%
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Regor (2009−2013)	Clovertrail (2013)
PassMark	1,060	1,056
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 Z2560 uses FC-MB4760 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1066 memory speed. The Athlon II X2 240 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 2 GB — 700% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Athlon II X2 240) vs 0 (Atom Z2560) — the Athlon II X2 240 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: 760G,785G,790GX,880G,890GX (Athlon II X2 240) and Intel BGA1264 (Atom Z2560).

Feature	Athlon II X2 240	Atom Z2560
Socket	AM3	FC-MB4760
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	LPDDR2-1066
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB+700%	2 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	0

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 240) / not specified (Atom Z2560). The Atom Z2560 includes integrated graphics (PowerVR SGX544MP2), 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.