Athlon II X2 240 vs Pentium E5500
Athlon II X2 240
Pentium E5500
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 Pentium E5500 is on rank 913, 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 Pentium E5500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 240 | Pentium E5500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Balanced gaming performance | Balanced gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 240 | Pentium E5500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+149%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) |
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 Pentium E5500
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.
Pentium E5500
The Pentium E5500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 18 April 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) 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 (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,064 points. Launch price was $109.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X2 240 and Pentium E5500 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Athlon II X2 240 versus 2.8 GHz on the Pentium E5500 — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Athlon II X2 240 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium E5500 uses Wolfdale (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 240 scores 1,060 against the Pentium E5500's 1,064 — a 0.4% lead for the Pentium E5500. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 240 | Pentium E5500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz | 2.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz | 2.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 2 MB (total) |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Wolfdale (2008−2010) |
| PassMark | 1,060 | 1,064 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 373 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 700 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X2 240 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium E5500 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 240 | Pentium E5500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | LGA775 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1066 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 240) / not specified (Pentium E5500). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 240 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 240 rivals Pentium E5400.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 240 | Pentium E5500 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| IGPU Model | None | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II X2 240 launched at $60 MSRP, while the Pentium E5500 debuted at $75. At current prices ($10 vs $25), the Athlon II X2 240 is $15 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 240 delivers 106.0 pts/$ vs 42.6 pts/$ for the Pentium E5500 — making the Athlon II X2 240 the 85.4% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 240 | Pentium E5500 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $60-20% | $75 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10-60% | $25 |
| Performance per Dollar | 106.0+149% | 42.6 |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2010 |
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