Athlon II X2 265 vs Pentium Gold 6405U

AMD

Athlon II X2 265

2 Cores2 Thrd65 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2010
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Pentium Gold 6405U

2 Cores4 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.4 GHz2019
Similar parts
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Athlon II X2 265 vs Pentium Gold 6405U 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 265 vs Pentium Gold 6405U 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 265 vs Pentium Gold 6405U: 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 265

2010

Why buy it

  • Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Pentium Gold 6405U.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $83 MSRP, while Pentium Gold 6405U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 6400% higher power demand at 65W vs 1W.

Pentium Gold 6405U

2019

Why buy it

  • Draws 1W instead of 65W, a 64W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (1,320 vs 1,324).
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 265.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X2 265 better than Pentium Gold 6405U?
Yes. Athlon II X2 265 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.3% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Athlon II X2 265 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.1% 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 265 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Athlon II X2 265 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X2 265 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $83 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (16.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Pentium Gold 6405U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X2 265 vs Pentium Gold 6405U Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon II X2 265

The Athlon II X2 265 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 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: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,324 points. Launch price was $83.

Intel

Pentium Gold 6405U

The Pentium Gold 6405U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 31 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,320 points. Launch price was $161.

Processing Power

The Athlon II X2 265 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Pentium Gold 6405U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Athlon II X2 265 versus 2.4 GHz on the Pentium Gold 6405U — a 31.6% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 265 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Athlon II X2 265 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium Gold 6405U uses Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 265 scores 1,324 against the Pentium Gold 6405U's 1,320 — a 0.3% lead for the Athlon II X2 265. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 265 vs 2 MB on the Pentium Gold 6405U.

FeatureAthlon II X2 265Pentium Gold 6405U
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 4
Boost Clock
3.3 GHz+38%
2.4 GHz
Base Clock
3.3 GHz+38%
2.4 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
2 MB
L2 Cache
1 MB
1 MB
Process
45 nm
14 nm-69%
Architecture
Regor (2009−2013)
Comet Lake-U (2019−2020)
PassMark
1,324
1,320
Geekbench 6 Single
275
Geekbench 6 Multi
520
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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 265 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Gold 6405U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureAthlon II X2 265Pentium Gold 6405U
Socket
AM3
FCBGA1528
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity
16 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
Yes
PCIe Lanes
0
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Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 265) / not specified (Pentium Gold 6405U). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 265 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 265 rivals Pentium E6700.

FeatureAthlon II X2 265Pentium Gold 6405U
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Legacy Desktop