Athlon II X2 255 vs Pentium N3540
Athlon II X2 255
Pentium N3540
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 255 is positioned at rank 793 and the Pentium N3540 is on rank 1149, so the Athlon II X2 255 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 255
Performance Per Dollar Pentium N3540
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 255 | Pentium N3540 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($161) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 255 | Pentium N3540 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+1514%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($161) |
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 255 and Pentium N3540
Athlon II X2 255
The Athlon II X2 255 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,210 points. Launch price was $60.
Pentium N3540
The Pentium N3540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 22 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.16 GHz, with boost up to 2.66 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 7.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,207 points. Launch price was $251.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X2 255 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Pentium N3540 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium N3540 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X2 255 versus 2.66 GHz on the Pentium N3540 — a 15.3% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 255 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 2.16 GHz). The Athlon II X2 255 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium N3540 uses Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 255 scores 1,210 against the Pentium N3540's 1,207 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon II X2 255. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 255 vs 2 MB L2 Cache on the Pentium N3540.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 255 | Pentium N3540 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.1 GHz+17% | 2.66 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.1 GHz+44% | 2.16 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB L2 Cache |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 2 MB+100% |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) |
| PassMark | 1,210 | 1,207 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 265 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 500 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X2 255 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium N3540 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 255 | Pentium N3540 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FCBGA1170 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 255) / not specified (Pentium N3540). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 255 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 255 rivals Pentium E5700.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 255 | Pentium N3540 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Legacy Desktop | — |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II X2 255 launched at $60 MSRP, while the Pentium N3540 debuted at $161. At current prices ($10 vs $161), the Athlon II X2 255 is $151 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 255 delivers 121.0 pts/$ vs 7.5 pts/$ for the Pentium N3540 — making the Athlon II X2 255 the 176.7% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 255 | Pentium N3540 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $60-63% | $161 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10-94% | $161 |
| Performance per Dollar | 121.0+1513% | 7.5 |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2014 |
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