Athlon II X2 240 vs Core 2 Duo E6300

Athlon II X2 240 vs Core 2 Duo E6300 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X2 240

2 / 2

1,060

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core 2 Duo E6300

2 / 2

1,055

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 Core 2 Duo E6300 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 Core 2 Duo E6300: 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

✅Costs $103 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $163 MSRP).
✅Delivers 173.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 17.7 vs 6.5 PassMark/$ ($60 MSRP vs $163 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core 2 Duo E6300

2006

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,055 vs 1,060).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.5 vs 17.7 PassMark/$ ($163 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X2 240 better than Core 2 Duo E6300?

Yes. Athlon II X2 240 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.5% 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, Athlon II X2 240 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.1% 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 0.5% 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 $103 cheaper on MSRP at $60 MSRP versus $163 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 173.0% better value on MSRP (17.7 vs 6.5 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Athlon II X2 240 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2009 vs 2006) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 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 Core 2 Duo E6300 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.

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. Both support up to DDR3-1066 memory speed. 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
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
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

At launch, the Athlon II X2 240 was priced at $60, while the Core 2 Duo E6300 came in at $163. On launch pricing ($60 vs $163), Athlon II X2 240 was $103 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 240 delivers 17.7 pts/$ vs 6.5 pts/$ for the Core 2 Duo E6300 — making the Athlon II X2 240 the 92.7% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X2 240	Core 2 Duo E6300
MSRP	$60-63%	$163
Performance per Dollar	17.7+172%	6.5
Release Date	2009	2006

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