Athlon II X2 250 vs Atom E3845

Athlon II X2 250 vs Atom E3845 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X2 250

2 / 2

1,080

+0.8%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Atom E3845

4 / 4

1,071

0.0%

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 250 vs Atom E3845 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 250 vs Atom E3845: 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 250

2009

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (true), unlike Atom E3845.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $87 MSRP, while Atom E3845 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌550% higher power demand at 65W vs 10W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Atom E3845 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Atom E3845

2013

Why buy it

✅Draws 10W instead of 65W, a 55W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail), while Athlon II X2 250 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,071 vs 1,080).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 250.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X2 250 better than Atom E3845?

Yes. Athlon II X2 250 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you 0.8% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon II X2 250 has the edge because it leads the single-thread side of this matchup with 57.1% higher max boost clock.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X2 250 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?

Athlon II X2 250 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X2 250 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $87 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.8% higher PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (12.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Atom E3845 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X2 250 vs Atom E3845 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Atom E3845

The Atom E3845 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 October 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-I (2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 1.91 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,071 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon II X2 250 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Atom E3845 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Atom E3845 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Athlon II X2 250 versus 1.91 GHz on the Atom E3845 — a 44.4% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 250. The Athlon II X2 250 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Atom E3845 uses Bay Trail-I (2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 250 scores 1,080 against the Atom E3845's 1,071 — a 0.8% lead for the Athlon II X2 250. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon II X2 250	Atom E3845
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	3 GHz+57%	1.91 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	512 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Regor (2009−2013)	Bay Trail-I (2013)
PassMark	1,080	1,071

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 250 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom E3845 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to 1333 memory speed. The Athlon II X2 250 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 250) vs 4 (Atom E3845) — the Atom E3845 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AM2+,AM3 (Athlon II X2 250) and Intel FCBGA1170 (Atom E3845).

Feature	Athlon II X2 250	Atom E3845
Socket	AM3	FCBGA1170
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1333	DDR3L-1333
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB+100%	8 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	0	4

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Athlon II X2 250) / not specified (Atom E3845). The Atom E3845 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail)), while the Athlon II X2 250 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 250 rivals Pentium E5700.