Athlon II X2 245e vs Core 2 Duo E8200

CPU

GPU

Athlon II X2 245e

2 Cores2 Thrd45 WWMax: 2.9 GHz2010

Similar parts

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Core 2 Duo E8200

2 Cores2 Thrd65 WWMax: 2.67 GHz2008

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Athlon II X2 245e vs Core 2 Duo E8200 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X2 245e

2 / 2

1,141

0.0%

Mobile Athlon 64 3700+

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core 2 Duo E8200

2 / 2

1,144

+0.3%

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 245e vs Core 2 Duo E8200 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 245e vs Core 2 Duo E8200: 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 245e

2010

Why buy it

✅+14% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅Costs $76 less on MSRP ($87 MSRP vs $163 MSRP).
✅Delivers 86.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.1 vs 7.0 PassMark/$ ($87 MSRP vs $163 MSRP).
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (319 vs 350).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core 2 Duo E8200.

Core 2 Duo E8200

2008

Why buy it

✅+9.7% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock Cooler), unlike Athlon II X2 245e.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (650 vs 741).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.0 vs 13.1 PassMark/$ ($163 MSRP vs $87 MSRP).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X2 245e better than Core 2 Duo E8200?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core 2 Duo E8200 is ahead with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X2 245e pulls ahead with 14% better Geekbench multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X2 245e is the stronger fit. You are getting 14% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon II X2 245e is the better buy right now. Athlon II X2 245e comes in $76 cheaper on MSRP at $87 MSRP versus $163 MSRP, and it still gives you 14% better Geekbench multi-core. The compromise is that Core 2 Duo E8200 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 86.9% better value on MSRP (13.1 vs 7.0 PassMark/$), 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 245e makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2008) 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 245e vs Core 2 Duo E8200 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X2 245e

The Athlon II X2 245e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 May 2010 (15 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: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,141 points. Launch price was $80.

Core 2 Duo E8200

The Core 2 Duo E8200 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 2.67 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,144 points. Launch price was $249.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon II X2 245e and Core 2 Duo E8200 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Athlon II X2 245e versus 2.67 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E8200 — a 8.3% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 245e (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.66 GHz). The Athlon II X2 245e uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Duo E8200 uses Wolfdale (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 245e scores 1,141 against the Core 2 Duo E8200's 1,144 — a 0.3% lead for the Core 2 Duo E8200. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 319 vs 350, a 9.3% lead for the Core 2 Duo E8200 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 741 vs 650 (13.1% advantage for the Athlon II X2 245e). Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon II X2 245e	Core 2 Duo E8200
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.9 GHz+9%	2.67 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+9%	2.66 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	1 MB	6 MB (total)+500%
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Regor (2009−2013)	Wolfdale (2008−2010)
PassMark	1,141	1,144
Geekbench 6 Single	319	350+10%
Geekbench 6 Multi	741+14%	650

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 245e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo E8200 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X2 245e versus DDR2-800 on the Core 2 Duo E8200 — the Athlon II X2 245e supports 66.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X2 245e 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. Chipset compatibility: 760G,770,780G,785G,790FX,790GX (Athlon II X2 245e) and P35,P45,G33,G45 (Core 2 Duo E8200).

Feature	Athlon II X2 245e	Core 2 Duo E8200
Socket	AM3	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333+67%	DDR2-800
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB+100%	8 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	—	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 245e) vs VT-x (Core 2 Duo E8200). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 245e targets Budget, Core 2 Duo E8200 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 245e rivals Athlon II X2 270u; Core 2 Duo E8200 rivals Phenom II X2 550.

Feature	Athlon II X2 245e	Core 2 Duo E8200
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x
Target Use	Budget	Legacy Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X2 245e was priced at $87, while the Core 2 Duo E8200 came in at $163. On launch pricing ($87 vs $163), Athlon II X2 245e was $76 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 245e delivers 13.1 pts/$ vs 7.0 pts/$ for the Core 2 Duo E8200 — making the Athlon II X2 245e the 60.6% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X2 245e	Core 2 Duo E8200
MSRP	$87-47%	$163
Performance per Dollar	13.1+87%	7.0
Release Date	2010	2008

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