Athlon II X2 240e vs Celeron J3060

Athlon II X2 240e vs Celeron J3060 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X2 240e

2 / 2

1,007

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron J3060

2 / 2

1,015

+0.8%

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 240e vs Celeron J3060 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 240e vs Celeron J3060: 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 240e

2009

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (true), unlike Celeron J3060.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,007 vs 1,015).
❌Launch MSRP is still $77 MSRP, while Celeron J3060 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌650% higher power demand at 45W vs 6W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron J3060 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Celeron J3060

2016

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 6W instead of 45W, a 39W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics 400, while Athlon II X2 240e needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 240e.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron J3060 better than Athlon II X2 240e?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X2 240e is ahead with a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Celeron J3060 pulls ahead with 0.8% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron J3060 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Celeron J3060 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Celeron J3060 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $77 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.8% better PassMark. Athlon II X2 240e only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2009 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (13.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on AM3.

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

Celeron J3060 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2009) 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 240e vs Celeron J3060 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Athlon II X2 240e

The Athlon II X2 240e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 October 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: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,007 points. Launch price was $35.

Celeron J3060

The Celeron J3060 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 15 January 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Airmont (2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.48 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,015 points. Launch price was $107.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon II X2 240e and Celeron J3060 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Athlon II X2 240e versus 2.48 GHz on the Celeron J3060 — a 12.1% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 240e (base: 2.8 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Athlon II X2 240e uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron J3060 uses Airmont (2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 240e scores 1,007 against the Celeron J3060's 1,015 — a 0.8% lead for the Celeron J3060. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon II X2 240e	Celeron J3060
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz+13%	2.48 GHz
Base Clock	2.8 GHz+75%	1.6 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	1 MB	1 MB
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Regor (2009−2013)	Airmont (2016)
PassMark	1,007	1,015
Geekbench 6 Single	—	200
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	370

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 240e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron J3060 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1333 on the Athlon II X2 240e versus DDR3L-1600 on the Celeron J3060 — the Celeron J3060 supports 20% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X2 240e supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X2 240e) vs 4 (Celeron J3060) — the Celeron J3060 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AM2+,AM3 (Athlon II X2 240e) and SoC (Celeron J3060).

Feature	Athlon II X2 240e	Celeron J3060
Socket	AM3	FCBGA1170
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	1333	DDR3L-1600+20%
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB+100%	8 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	4

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Athlon II X2 240e) vs VT-x, EPT (Celeron J3060). The Celeron J3060 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 400), while the Athlon II X2 240e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron J3060 targets Low Power Desktop/NAS. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 240e rivals Pentium E5400; Celeron J3060 rivals Pentium J3710.