Athlon II X2 250u
Pentium Dual-Core E2180
Athlon II X2 250u vs Pentium Dual-Core E2180 Performance Spectrum
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 Dual-Core E2180 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.
Path of Exile 2
Counter-Strike 2
League of Legends
Valorant
Among Us
Apex Legends
ARC Raiders
Baldur's Gate 3
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Athlon II X2 250u vs Pentium Dual-Core E2180: 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
2009Why buy it
- ✅Costs $24 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $84 MSRP).
- ✅Delivers 39.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 15.6 vs 11.2 PassMark/$ ($60 MSRP vs $84 MSRP).
- ✅Draws 25W instead of 65W, a 40W reduction.
- ✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (935 vs 938).
Pentium Dual-Core E2180
2007Why buy it
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 11.2 vs 15.6 PassMark/$ ($84 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).
- ❌160% higher power demand at 65W vs 25W.
Quick Answers
So, is Pentium Dual-Core E2180 better than Athlon II X2 250u?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Athlon II X2 250u vs Pentium Dual-Core E2180 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 Dual-Core E2180
The Pentium Dual-Core E2180 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 938 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X2 250u and Pentium Dual-Core E2180 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 250u versus 2 GHz on the Pentium Dual-Core E2180 — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Pentium Dual-Core E2180. The Athlon II X2 250u uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium Dual-Core E2180 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 250u scores 935 against the Pentium Dual-Core E2180's 938 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium Dual-Core E2180. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 250u | Pentium Dual-Core E2180 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.6 GHz | 2 GHz+25% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1 MB (total) |
| Process | 45 nm-31% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | NetBurst (2000−2006) |
| PassMark | 935 | 938 |
| 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 Dual-Core E2180 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 250u | Pentium Dual-Core E2180 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Dual-Core E2180). 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 Dual-Core E2180 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Dual-Core E2180 came in at $84. On launch pricing ($60 vs $84), Athlon II X2 250u was $24 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 250u delivers 15.6 pts/$ vs 11.2 pts/$ for the Pentium Dual-Core E2180 — making the Athlon II X2 250u the 33% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 250u | Pentium Dual-Core E2180 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $60-29% | $84 |
| Performance per Dollar | 15.6+39% | 11.2 |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2007 |
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