Athlon II X2 255 vs Phenom X3 8450
Athlon II X2 255
Phenom X3 8450
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 Phenom X3 8450 is on rank 1023, 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 Phenom X3 8450
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 255 | Phenom X3 8450 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($147) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Toliman (2008) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 255 | Phenom X3 8450 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+1357%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($147) |
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 Phenom X3 8450
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.
Phenom X3 8450
The Phenom X3 8450 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Toliman (2008) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,221 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X2 255 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom X3 8450 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom X3 8450 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X2 255 versus 2.1 GHz on the Phenom X3 8450 — a 38.5% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 255. The Athlon II X2 255 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom X3 8450 uses Toliman (2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 255 scores 1,210 against the Phenom X3 8450's 1,221 — a 0.9% lead for the Phenom X3 8450. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 255 vs 2 MB (total) on the Phenom X3 8450.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 255 | Phenom X3 8450 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 3.1 GHz+48% | 2.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.1 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+100% | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm-31% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Toliman (2008) |
| PassMark | 1,210 | 1,221 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 265 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 500 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X2 255 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom X3 8450 uses AM2+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 255 | Phenom X3 8450 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | AM2+ |
| 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 (Phenom X3 8450). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 255 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 255 rivals Pentium E5700.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 255 | Phenom X3 8450 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Phenom X3 8450 debuted at $145. At current prices ($10 vs $147), the Athlon II X2 255 is $137 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 255 delivers 121.0 pts/$ vs 8.3 pts/$ for the Phenom X3 8450 — making the Athlon II X2 255 the 174.3% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 255 | Phenom X3 8450 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $60-59% | $145 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10-93% | $147 |
| Performance per Dollar | 121.0+1358% | 8.3 |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2008 |
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