Athlon II X2 270u vs Pentium N3510

Athlon II X2 270u vs Pentium N3510 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X2 270u

2 / 2

1,045

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium N3510

4 / 4

1,040

0.0%

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 Pentium N3510 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 Pentium N3510: 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

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $93 less on MSRP ($68 MSRP vs $161 MSRP).
✅Delivers 137.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 15.4 vs 6.5 PassMark/$ ($68 MSRP vs $161 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock Cooler), unlike Pentium N3510.

Trade-offs

❌1150% higher power demand at 25W vs 2W.

Pentium N3510

2013

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 25W, a 23W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,040 vs 1,045).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.5 vs 15.4 PassMark/$ ($161 MSRP vs $68 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 270u.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X2 270u better than Pentium N3510?

Yes. Athlon II X2 270u is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 37 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.5% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

For gaming, this matchup is basically a tie in the data we have.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X2 270u is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Athlon II X2 270u is the better buy right now. Athlon II X2 270u comes in $93 cheaper on MSRP at $68 MSRP versus $161 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.2% average FPS lead across 37 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 137.9% better value on MSRP (15.4 vs 6.5 PassMark/$), 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 N3510 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X2 270u vs Pentium N3510 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Pentium N3510

The Pentium N3510 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 December 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 7.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,040 points. Launch price was $161.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X2 270u packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Pentium N3510 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pentium N3510 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Athlon II X2 270u versus 2 GHz on the Pentium N3510 — identical boost frequencies. The Athlon II X2 270u uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium N3510 uses Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 270u scores 1,045 against the Pentium N3510's 1,040 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon II X2 270u. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 270u vs 2 MB on the Pentium N3510.

Feature	Athlon II X2 270u	Pentium N3510
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2 GHz	2 GHz
Base Clock	—	2 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB	2 MB+100%
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Regor (2009−2013)	Bay Trail-M (2013−2014)
PassMark	1,045	1,040
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 Pentium N3510 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II X2 270u	Pentium N3510
Socket	AM3	FCBGA1170
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	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 270u) / not specified (Pentium N3510). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 270u targets Office/Budget Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 270u rivals Pentium E5700.

Feature	Athlon II X2 270u	Pentium N3510
Integrated GPU	No	—
IGPU Model	None	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	AMD-V	—
Target Use	Office/Budget Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X2 270u was priced at $68, while the Pentium N3510 came in at $161. On launch pricing ($68 vs $161), Athlon II X2 270u was $93 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X2 270u delivers 15.4 pts/$ vs 6.5 pts/$ for the Pentium N3510 — making the Athlon II X2 270u the 81.6% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X2 270u	Pentium N3510
MSRP	$68-58%	$161
Performance per Dollar	15.4+137%	6.5
Release Date	2010	2013

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