Athlon II X2 245 vs Xeon 5120
Athlon II X2 245
Xeon 5120
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 245 is positioned at rank 862 and the Xeon 5120 is on rank 857, so the Xeon 5120 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 245
Performance Per Dollar Xeon 5120
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 245 | Xeon 5120 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Woodcrest (2006) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 245 | Xeon 5120 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+2%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 245 and Xeon 5120
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 | ❌ | — |
| 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
The Athlon II X2 245 launched at $66 MSRP, while the Xeon 5120 debuted at $107. At current prices ($15 vs $15), the Xeon 5120 is $0 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 245 delivers 75.6 pts/$ vs 74.3 pts/$ for the Xeon 5120 — making the Athlon II X2 245 the 1.7% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 245 | Xeon 5120 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $66-38% | $107 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 75.6+2% | 74.3 |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2006 |
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