Athlon II X2 240 vs Atom Z2560
Athlon II X2 240
Atom Z2560
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon II X2 240 is positioned at rank 852 and the Atom Z2560 is on rank 104, so the Atom Z2560 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 240
Performance Per Dollar Atom Z2560
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 240 | Atom Z2560 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Clovertrail (2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 240 | Atom Z2560 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon II X2 240 and Atom Z2560
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.
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+300% | 512K (per core) |
| 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 | — |
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. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Athlon II X2 240 versus LPDDR2-1066 on the Atom Z2560 — the Athlon II X2 240 supports 40% 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 2 GB — 155.6% 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+50% | LPDDR2-1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB+700% | 2 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 0 |
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.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 240 | Atom Z2560 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | None | PowerVR SGX544MP2 |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
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