Athlon II X2 270u vs Celeron N2940
Athlon II X2 270u
Celeron N2940
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 270u is positioned at rank 897 and the Celeron N2940 is on rank 1085, so the Athlon II X2 270u 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 270u
Performance Per Dollar Celeron N2940
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 270u | Celeron N2940 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 270u | Celeron N2940 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ 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 270u and Celeron N2940
Athlon II X2 270u
The Athlon II X2 270u 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. Max frequency: 2 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: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,045 points. Launch price was $68.
Celeron N2940
The Celeron N2940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.83 GHz, with boost up to 2.25 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 7.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,054 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X2 270u packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Celeron N2940 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Celeron N2940 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Athlon II X2 270u versus 2.25 GHz on the Celeron N2940 — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Celeron N2940. The Athlon II X2 270u uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron N2940 uses Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 270u scores 1,045 against the Celeron N2940's 1,054 — a 0.9% lead for the Celeron N2940. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 300 vs 240, a 22.2% lead for the Athlon II X2 270u that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 550 vs 850 (42.9% advantage for the Celeron N2940). Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 270u | Celeron N2940 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 2.25 GHz+13% |
| Base Clock | — | 1.83 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+100% | 512K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) |
| PassMark | 1,045 | 1,054 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 531 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 300+25% | 240 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 550 | 850+55% |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X2 270u uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron N2940 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Athlon II X2 270u supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Athlon II X2 270u) vs 4 (Celeron N2940) — the Athlon II X2 270u offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 760G,AMD 880G,AMD 970 (Athlon II X2 270u) and SoC (Celeron N2940).
| Feature | Athlon II X2 270u | Celeron N2940 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FCBGA1170 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3L-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB+100% | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+300% | 4 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 270u) vs VT-x (Celeron N2940). The Celeron N2940 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail)), while the Athlon II X2 270u requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X2 270u targets Office/Budget Desktop, Celeron N2940 targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 270u rivals Pentium E5700; Celeron N2940 rivals AMD A6-6310.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 270u | Celeron N2940 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | None | Intel HD Graphics (Bay Trail) |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | VT-x |
| Target Use | Office/Budget Desktop | Budget Laptop |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Athlon II X2 270u and Celeron N2940
