Athlon II X2 270u vs E-350

AMD

Athlon II X2 270u

2 Cores2 Thrd25 WWMax: 2 GHz2010
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

E-350

2 Cores2 Thrd18 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2011
Similar parts
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Athlon II X2 270u vs E-350 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 270u vs E-350 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 270u vs E-350: 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 270u

2010

Why buy it

  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (Stock Cooler), unlike E-350.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (1,045 vs 1,049).
  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.4 vs 21.0 PassMark/$ ($68 MSRP vs $50 MSRP).
  • 38.9% higher power demand at 25W vs 18W.

E-350

2011

Why buy it

  • +0.4% higher PassMark.
  • Costs $18 less on MSRP ($50 MSRP vs $68 MSRP).
  • Delivers 36.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 21.0 vs 15.4 PassMark/$ ($50 MSRP vs $68 MSRP).
  • Draws 18W instead of 25W, a 7W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 270u.

Quick Answers

So, is E-350 better than Athlon II X2 270u?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X2 270u is ahead with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, E-350 pulls ahead with 0.4% better PassMark.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, E-350 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
E-350 is the better buy right now. E-350 comes in $18 cheaper on MSRP at $50 MSRP versus $68 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.4% better PassMark. The compromise is that Athlon II X2 270u is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 36.5% better value on MSRP (21.0 vs 15.4 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
E-350 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2011 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon II X2 270u vs E-350 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

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.

AMD

E-350

The E-350 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 January 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Zacate (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 40 nm process technology. Socket: FT1. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,049 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II X2 270u and E-350 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Athlon II X2 270u versus 1.6 GHz on the E-350 — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 270u. The Athlon II X2 270u uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the E-350 uses Zacate (2011−2013) (40 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 270u scores 1,045 against the E-350's 1,049 — a 0.4% lead for the E-350. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

FeatureAthlon II X2 270uE-350
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 2
Boost Clock
2 GHz+25%
1.6 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
0 kB
L2 Cache
1 MB
512K (per core)+51100%
Process
45 nm
40 nm-11%
Architecture
Regor (2009−2013)
Zacate (2011−2013)
PassMark
1,045
1,049
Cinebench R23 Multi
531
Geekbench 6 Single
300
Geekbench 6 Multi
550
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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 270u uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the E-350 uses FT1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureAthlon II X2 270uE-350
Socket
AM3
FT1
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity
16 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
No
PCIe Lanes
16
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Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 270u) / not specified (E-350). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 270u targets Office/Budget Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 270u rivals Pentium E5700.

FeatureAthlon II X2 270uE-350
Integrated GPU
No
IGPU Model
None
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Office/Budget Desktop
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Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X2 270u was priced at $68, while the E-350 came in at $50. On launch pricing ($68 vs $50), E-350 was $18 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 270u delivers 15.4 pts/$ vs 21.0 pts/$ for the E-350 — making the E-350 the 30.9% better value option.

FeatureAthlon II X2 270uE-350
MSRP
$68
$50-26%
Performance per Dollar
15.4
21.0+36%
Release Date
2010
2011

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