Athlon II X2 240 vs Core 2 Duo E6300
Athlon II X2 240
Core 2 Duo E6300
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 Core 2 Duo E6300 is on rank 1058, so the Athlon II X2 240 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 Core 2 Duo E6300
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 240 | Core 2 Duo E6300 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($5) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Conroe (2006−2007) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 240 | Core 2 Duo E6300 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+99%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($5) |
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 Core 2 Duo E6300
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.
Core 2 Duo E6300
The Core 2 Duo E6300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Conroe (2006−2007) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.86 GHz, with boost up to 1.87 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,055 points. Launch price was $249.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X2 240 and Core 2 Duo E6300 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Athlon II X2 240 versus 1.87 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E6300 — a 39.8% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 240 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 1.86 GHz). The Athlon II X2 240 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Duo E6300 uses Conroe (2006−2007) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 240 scores 1,060 against the Core 2 Duo E6300's 1,055 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon II X2 240. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 240 | Core 2 Duo E6300 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz+50% | 1.87 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz+51% | 1.86 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 2 MB |
| Process | 45 nm-31% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Conroe (2006−2007) |
| PassMark | 1,060 | 1,055 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 373 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 700 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X2 240 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo E6300 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1066 on the Athlon II X2 240 versus 1066 on the Core 2 Duo E6300 — the Core 2 Duo E6300 supports 198.9% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: 760G,785G,790GX,880G,890GX (Athlon II X2 240) and P35,G31,G33,P45 (Core 2 Duo E6300).
| Feature | Athlon II X2 240 | Core 2 Duo E6300 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | LGA775 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1066 | 1066+35433% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB+104857500% | 16 |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 240) vs true (Core 2 Duo E6300). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 240 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 240 rivals Pentium E5400; Core 2 Duo E6300 rivals Athlon 64 X2 3800+.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 240 | Core 2 Duo E6300 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| IGPU Model | None | None |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | true |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II X2 240 launched at $60 MSRP, while the Core 2 Duo E6300 debuted at $163. At current prices ($10 vs $5), the Core 2 Duo E6300 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 240 delivers 106.0 pts/$ vs 211.0 pts/$ for the Core 2 Duo E6300 — making the Core 2 Duo E6300 the 66.2% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 240 | Core 2 Duo E6300 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $60-63% | $163 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10 | $5-50% |
| Performance per Dollar | 106.0 | 211.0+99% |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2006 |
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