
Athlon II X2 250u

Sempron 2650
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon II X2 250u is positioned at rank 891 and the Sempron 2650 is on rank 601, so the Sempron 2650 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 250u
Performance Per Dollar Sempron 2650
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 250u | Sempron 2650 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Kabini (2013−2014) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 250u | Sempron 2650 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon II X2 250u and Sempron 2650

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.

Sempron 2650
The Sempron 2650 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Kabini (2013−2014) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.45 GHz. L2 cache: 1024 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 892 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X2 250u and Sempron 2650 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 250u versus 1.45 GHz on the Sempron 2650 — a 9.8% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 250u. The Athlon II X2 250u uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Sempron 2650 uses Kabini (2013−2014) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 250u scores 935 against the Sempron 2650's 892 — a 4.7% lead for the Athlon II X2 250u.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 250u | Sempron 2650 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.6 GHz+10% | 1.45 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1024 kB |
| Process | 45 nm | 28 nm-38% |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Kabini (2013−2014) |
| PassMark | 935+5% | 892 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 222 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 423 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X2 250u uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Sempron 2650 uses AM1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 250u | Sempron 2650 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | AM1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1066 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 250u) / not specified (Sempron 2650). 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 | Sempron 2650 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Low Power Desktop | — |
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