
Athlon II X2 270u vs Core 2 Duo E7400

Athlon II X2 270u

Core 2 Duo E7400
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 Core 2 Duo E7400 is on rank 544, so the Core 2 Duo E7400 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 Core 2 Duo E7400
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 270u | Core 2 Duo E7400 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 270u | Core 2 Duo E7400 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Core 2 Duo E7400

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.

Core 2 Duo E7400
The Core 2 Duo E7400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 3 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,043 points. Launch price was $249.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X2 270u and Core 2 Duo E7400 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Athlon II X2 270u versus 2.8 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E7400 — a 33.3% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo E7400. The Athlon II X2 270u uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Duo E7400 uses Wolfdale (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 270u scores 1,045 against the Core 2 Duo E7400's 1,043 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon II X2 270u. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 270u | Core 2 Duo E7400 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 2.8 GHz+40% |
| Base Clock | — | 2.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 3 MB (total)+200% |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Wolfdale (2008−2010) |
| PassMark | 1,045 | 1,043 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 531 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 300 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 550 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X2 270u uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo E7400 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X2 270u versus 1066 on the Core 2 Duo E7400 — the Core 2 Duo E7400 supports 198.9% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AMD 760G,AMD 880G,AMD 970 (Athlon II X2 270u) and P35,G31,G33,P45 (Core 2 Duo E7400).
| Feature | Athlon II X2 270u | Core 2 Duo E7400 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | LGA775 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | 1066+35433% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB+104857500% | 16 |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 270u) vs true (Core 2 Duo E7400). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 270u targets Office/Budget Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 270u rivals Pentium E5700; Core 2 Duo E7400 rivals Athlon II X2 245.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 270u | Core 2 Duo E7400 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| IGPU Model | None | None |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | true |
| Target Use | Office/Budget Desktop | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
















