Athlon II X2 250u vs Pentium D 940

Athlon II X2 250u vs Pentium D 940 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X2 250u

2 / 2

935

+6.9%

Athlon 64 3300+

Mobile Athlon 64 3700+

Athlon 64 FX-57

Athlon 64 X2 TK-42

Ryzen 5 5600F

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium D 940

2 / 2

875

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 250u vs Pentium D 940 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 250u vs Pentium D 940: 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 250u

2009

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $72 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $132 MSRP).
✅Delivers 135.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 15.6 vs 6.6 PassMark/$ ($60 MSRP vs $132 MSRP).
✅Draws 25W instead of 130W, a 105W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Pentium D 940

2006

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II X2 250u across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (875 vs 935).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.6 vs 15.6 PassMark/$ ($132 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).
❌420% higher power demand at 130W vs 25W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X2 250u better than Pentium D 940?

Yes. Athlon II X2 250u is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 6.9% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon II X2 250u is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.5% 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 250u is the stronger fit. You are getting 6.9% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon II X2 250u is the better buy right now. Athlon II X2 250u comes in $72 cheaper on MSRP at $60 MSRP versus $132 MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 135.1% better value on MSRP (15.6 vs 6.6 PassMark/$), 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 250u makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2009 vs 2006) 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 250u vs Pentium D 940 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X2 250u

The Athlon II X2 250u is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 935 points. Launch price was $35.

Pentium D 940

The Pentium D 940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 January 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) 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 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 875 points. Launch price was $423.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II X2 250u and Pentium D 940 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 250u versus 3.2 GHz on the Pentium D 940 — a 66.7% clock advantage for the Pentium D 940. The Athlon II X2 250u uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium D 940 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 250u scores 935 against the Pentium D 940's 875 — a 6.6% lead for the Athlon II X2 250u. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon II X2 250u	Pentium D 940
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.6 GHz	3.2 GHz+100%
Base Clock	—	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB (total)+100%
Process	45 nm-31%	65 nm
Architecture	Regor (2009−2013)	NetBurst (2000−2006)
PassMark	935+7%	875
Geekbench 6 Single	222	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	423	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 250u uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium D 940 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II X2 250u	Pentium D 940
Socket	AM3	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1066	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 250u) / not specified (Pentium D 940). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 250u targets Low Power Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 250u rivals Core 2 Duo E7500.

Feature	Athlon II X2 250u	Pentium D 940
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	AMD-V	—
Target Use	Low Power Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X2 250u was priced at $60, while the Pentium D 940 came in at $132. On launch pricing ($60 vs $132), Athlon II X2 250u was $72 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 250u delivers 15.6 pts/$ vs 6.6 pts/$ for the Pentium D 940 — making the Athlon II X2 250u the 80.6% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X2 250u	Pentium D 940
MSRP	$60-55%	$132
Performance per Dollar	15.6+136%	6.6
Release Date	2009	2006

Search Athlon II X2 250u on Amazon

Search Pentium D 940 on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.