Athlon II X2 250
VS
Athlon II N370

Athlon II X2 250 vs Athlon II N370

AMD

Athlon II X2 250

2 Cores2 Thrd65 WWMax: 3 GHz2009
VS
AMD

Athlon II N370

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.5 GHz2010

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 250 is positioned at rank 955 and the Athlon II N370 is on rank 923, so the Athlon II N370 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 250

#1
Ryzen 9 7950X
MSRP: $194|Avg: $20
25118%
#2
Core i9-10900T
MSRP: $120|Avg: $5
23734%
#3
Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE
MSRP: $423|Avg: $5
17233%
#4
Ryzen Threadripper 3960X
MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85
5192%
#5
Ryzen 9 9950X
MSRP: $649|Avg: $129
4112%
#6
Ryzen 5 8400F
MSRP: $303|Avg: $55
3597%
#7
Ryzen 7 PRO 2700
MSRP: $299|Avg: $60
2060%
#8
Ryzen 5 2600X
MSRP: $229|Avg: $55
2034%
#9
Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G
MSRP: $150|Avg: $60
1852%
#10
Core Ultra 5 245KF
MSRP: $294|Avg: $189
1851%
#11
Ryzen 5 5500
MSRP: $159|Avg: $85
1831%
#12
Ryzen 5 3600
MSRP: $199|Avg: $80
1781%
#13
Core i3-9100E
MSRP: $202|Avg: $30
1756%
#14
Core Ultra 5 245K
MSRP: $319|Avg: $200
1749%
#15
Core i3-8300T
MSRP: $138|Avg: $25
1733%
#955
Athlon II X2 250
MSRP: $87|Avg: $15
100%
#956
Core i3-2120T
MSRP: $127|Avg: $38
100%
#957
Phenom II X3 720
MSRP: $130|Avg: $64
99%
#958
Pentium E6300
MSRP: $84|Avg: $15
99%
#959
Core i5-661
MSRP: $196|Avg: $40
98%
#960
Core i3-4150
MSRP: $281|Avg: $70
98%
#961
Core i5-750
MSRP: $210|Avg: $30
98%
#962
Core i3-2100T
MSRP: $127|Avg: $127
97%
#963
Pentium E2210
MSRP: $84|Avg: $15
96%
#964
Core i3-560
MSRP: $138|Avg: $10
96%
#965
Core i3-550
MSRP: $138|Avg: $5
95%
#966
Core i7-980
MSRP: $583|Avg: $50
95%
#967
Pentium G3250
MSRP: $171|Avg: $25
95%
#968
Pentium E2200
MSRP: $84|Avg: $5
95%
#969
Core 2 Duo E7300
MSRP: $133|Avg: $133
94%
#970
Core i3-540
MSRP: $133|Avg: $5
94%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon II N370

#911
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1623%
#912
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1599%
#913
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1468%
#914
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
1461%
#915
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
1448%
#917
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
1398%
#918
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
1341%
#919
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
1338%
#920
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
1303%
#923
Athlon II N370
MSRP: $60|Avg: $10
100%
#928
A8-6410
MSRP: $100|Avg: $40
98%
#933
Athlon X2 L310
MSRP: $100|Avg: $20
97%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Athlon II X2 250 leads in gaming performance. However, the Athlon II N370 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.5% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightAthlon II X2 250Athlon II N370
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($15)
More affordable ($10)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Athlon II N370 stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 33% cheaper ($10 vs $15) while identifying as the stronger performer.
InsightAthlon II X2 250Athlon II N370
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Better overall value (+51%)
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($15)
More affordable ($10)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 250 and Athlon II N370

AMD

Athlon II X2 250

The Athlon II X2 250 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 June 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 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: 1,080 points. Launch price was $39.

AMD

Athlon II N370

The Athlon II N370 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.5 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,085 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II X2 250 and Athlon II N370 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Athlon II X2 250 versus 2.5 GHz on the Athlon II N370 — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 250. The Athlon II X2 250 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II N370 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 250 scores 1,080 against the Athlon II N370's 1,085 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon II N370.

FeatureAthlon II X2 250Athlon II N370
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 2
Boost Clock
3 GHz+20%
2.5 GHz
Base Clock
3 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
L2 Cache
2 MB+100%
1 MB
Process
45 nm
45 nm
Architecture
Regor (2009−2013)
Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark
1,080
1,085
Geekbench 6 Single
220
Geekbench 6 Multi
420
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 250 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II N370 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1333 on the Athlon II X2 250 versus DDR3-1066 on the Athlon II N370 — the Athlon II X2 250 supports 199.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X2 250 supports up to 16 of RAM compared to 8 GB 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AM2+,AM3 (Athlon II X2 250) and RS880M,SB850 (Athlon II N370).

FeatureAthlon II X2 250Athlon II N370
Socket
AM3
S1
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
1333+44333%
DDR3-1066
Max RAM Capacity
16
8 GB+52428700%
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
0
0
🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Athlon II X2 250) vs AMD-V (Athlon II N370). Primary use case: Athlon II N370 targets Legacy Laptop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 250 rivals Pentium E5700; Athlon II N370 rivals Pentium P6100.

FeatureAthlon II X2 250Athlon II N370
Integrated GPU
No
No
IGPU Model
None
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
true
AMD-V
Target Use
Legacy Laptop
💰

Value Analysis

The Athlon II X2 250 launched at $87 MSRP, while the Athlon II N370 debuted at $60. At current prices ($15 vs $10), the Athlon II N370 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 250 delivers 72.0 pts/$ vs 108.5 pts/$ for the Athlon II N370 — making the Athlon II N370 the 40.4% better value option.

FeatureAthlon II X2 250Athlon II N370
MSRP
$87
$60-31%
Avg Price (30d)
$15
$10-33%
Performance per Dollar
72.0
108.5+51%
Release Date
2009
2010