Athlon II X2 250e vs Pentium 3805U

Athlon II X2 250e vs Pentium 3805U Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X2 250e

2 / 2

1,202

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium 3805U

2 / 2

1,196

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 250e vs Pentium 3805U 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 250e vs Pentium 3805U: 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 250e

2010

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 512W, a 467W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Pentium 3805U.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $77 MSRP, while Pentium 3805U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Pentium 3805U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Pentium 3805U

2015

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics (Broadwell), while Athlon II X2 250e needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,196 vs 1,202).
❌1037.8% higher power demand at 512W vs 45W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 250e.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X2 250e better than Pentium 3805U?

Yes. Athlon II X2 250e is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.5% 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 250e is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.7% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X2 250e is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon II X2 250e is the better buy right now. Athlon II X2 250e comes in at an unclear MSRP at $77 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (15.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium 3805U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X2 250e vs Pentium 3805U Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X2 250e

The Athlon II X2 250e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 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: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,202 points. Launch price was $77.

Pentium 3805U

The Pentium 3805U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,196 points. Launch price was $161.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II X2 250e and Pentium 3805U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Athlon II X2 250e versus 1.9 GHz on the Pentium 3805U — a 44.9% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 250e (base: 3 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The Athlon II X2 250e uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium 3805U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 250e scores 1,202 against the Pentium 3805U's 1,196 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon II X2 250e. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 250e vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 3805U.

Feature	Athlon II X2 250e	Pentium 3805U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	3 GHz+58%	1.9 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz+58%	1.9 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB	256K (per core)+25500%
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Regor (2009−2013)	Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark	1,202	1,196
Geekbench 6 Single	250	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	470	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 250e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 3805U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X2 250e versus DDR3L-1600 on the Pentium 3805U — the Pentium 3805U supports 20% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X2 250e) vs 12 (Pentium 3805U) — the Pentium 3805U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Athlon II X2 250e	Pentium 3805U
Socket	AM3	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR3L-1600+20%
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	0	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 250e) vs VT-x, VT-d (Pentium 3805U). The Pentium 3805U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Broadwell)), while the Athlon II X2 250e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X2 250e targets Energy Efficient Legacy Desktop, Pentium 3805U targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 250e rivals Pentium E5700.

Feature	Athlon II X2 250e	Pentium 3805U
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	HD Graphics (Broadwell)
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	Energy Efficient Legacy Desktop	Mobile