Athlon II X2 245
Xeon 5120
Athlon II X2 245 vs Xeon 5120 Performance Spectrum
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 245 vs Xeon 5120 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Athlon II X2 245 vs Xeon 5120: 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 245
2009Why buy it
- ✅Costs $41 less on MSRP ($66 MSRP vs $107 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 64.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 17.2 vs 10.4 PassMark/$ ($66 MSRP vs $107 MSRP).
- ✅Includes a boxed cooler (true), unlike Xeon 5120.
Trade-offs
- ❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.
Xeon 5120
2006Why buy it
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (1,115 vs 1,134).
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.4 vs 17.2 PassMark/$ ($107 MSRP vs $66 MSRP).
- ❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 245.
Quick Answers
So, is Athlon II X2 245 better than Xeon 5120?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Athlon II X2 245 vs Xeon 5120 Technical Specifications
Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.
Athlon II X2 245
The Athlon II X2 245 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 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 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: 1,134 points. Launch price was $35.
Xeon 5120
The Xeon 5120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Junho 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the Woodcrest (2006) 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: 4 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA771. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,115 points. Launch price was $45.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X2 245 and Xeon 5120 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Athlon II X2 245 versus 1.87 GHz on the Xeon 5120 — a 43.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 245 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 1.86 GHz). The Athlon II X2 245 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Xeon 5120 uses Woodcrest (2006) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 245 scores 1,134 against the Xeon 5120's 1,115 — a 1.7% lead for the Athlon II X2 245. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 245 | Xeon 5120 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.9 GHz+55% | 1.87 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.9 GHz+56% | 1.86 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 4 MB+100% |
| Process | 45 nm-31% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Woodcrest (2006) |
| PassMark | 1,134+2% | 1,115 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X2 245 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon 5120 uses LGA771 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 245 | Xeon 5120 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | LGA771 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | 1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | No | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: true (Athlon II X2 245) / not specified (Xeon 5120). Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 245 rivals Pentium E5500.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 245 | Xeon 5120 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| IGPU Model | None | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | true | — |
Value Analysis
At launch, the Athlon II X2 245 was priced at $66, while the Xeon 5120 came in at $107. On launch pricing ($66 vs $107), Athlon II X2 245 was $41 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 245 delivers 17.2 pts/$ vs 10.4 pts/$ for the Xeon 5120 — making the Athlon II X2 245 the 49% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 245 | Xeon 5120 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $66-38% | $107 |
| Performance per Dollar | 17.2+65% | 10.4 |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2006 |
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