Athlon II X2 250e vs Pentium E5800

Athlon II X2 250e vs Pentium E5800 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X2 250e

2 / 2

1,202

+1.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium E5800

2 / 2

1,190

0.0%

Atom E3827

Celeron B820

Celeron P4505

Celeron Dual-Core T1700

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 E5800 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 E5800: 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

✅+1% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Pentium E5800.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.6 vs 18.6 PassMark/$ ($77 MSRP vs $64 MSRP).

Pentium E5800

2010

Why buy it

✅Costs $13 less on MSRP ($64 MSRP vs $77 MSRP).
✅Delivers 19.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 18.6 vs 15.6 PassMark/$ ($64 MSRP vs $77 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,190 vs 1,202).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 250e.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X2 250e better than Pentium E5800?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium E5800 is ahead with a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X2 250e pulls ahead with 1% better PassMark.

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 1% 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 still the much better call for a fresh build. Athlon II X2 250e comes in 20.3% more expensive on MSRP at $77 MSRP versus $64 MSRP, and it still gives you 1% better PassMark. Pentium E5800 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 19.1% better value on paper (18.6 vs 15.6 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA775.

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

Athlon II X2 250e makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 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 250e vs Pentium E5800 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 E5800

The Pentium E5800 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 28 November 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,190 points. Launch price was $68.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II X2 250e and Pentium E5800 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Athlon II X2 250e versus 3.2 GHz on the Pentium E5800 — a 6.5% clock advantage for the Pentium E5800 (base: 3 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Athlon II X2 250e uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium E5800 uses Wolfdale (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 250e scores 1,202 against the Pentium E5800's 1,190 — a 1% lead for the Athlon II X2 250e. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon II X2 250e	Pentium E5800
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	3 GHz	3.2 GHz+7%
Base Clock	3 GHz	3.2 GHz+7%
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB (total)+100%
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Regor (2009−2013)	Wolfdale (2008−2010)
PassMark	1,202+1%	1,190
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 E5800 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II X2 250e	Pentium E5800
Socket	AM3	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 250e) / not specified (Pentium E5800). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 250e targets Energy Efficient Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 250e rivals Pentium E5700.

Feature	Athlon II X2 250e	Pentium E5800
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	AMD-V	—
Target Use	Energy Efficient Legacy Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X2 250e was priced at $77, while the Pentium E5800 came in at $64. On launch pricing ($77 vs $64), Pentium E5800 was $13 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 250e delivers 15.6 pts/$ vs 18.6 pts/$ for the Pentium E5800 — making the Pentium E5800 the 17.4% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X2 250e	Pentium E5800
MSRP	$77	$64-17%
Performance per Dollar	15.6	18.6+19%
Release Date	2010	2010

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