Athlon II X2 280 vs A4-5300
Athlon II X2 280
A4-5300
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 280 is positioned at rank 638 and the A4-5300 is on rank 731, so the Athlon II X2 280 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 280
Performance Per Dollar A4-5300
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 280 | A4-5300 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Trinity (2012−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 280 | A4-5300 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ 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 280 and A4-5300
Athlon II X2 280
The Athlon II X2 280 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 February 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 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: 1,355 points. Launch price was $100.
A4-5300
The A4-5300 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,367 points. Launch price was $50.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X2 280 and A4-5300 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 280 versus 3.6 GHz on the A4-5300 — identical boost frequencies (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Athlon II X2 280 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the A4-5300 uses Trinity (2012−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 280 scores 1,355 against the A4-5300's 1,367 — a 0.9% lead for the A4-5300. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 290 vs 372, a 24.8% lead for the A4-5300 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 280 | A4-5300 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz | 3.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.6 GHz+6% | 3.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1 MB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Trinity (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,355 | 1,367 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 290 | 372+28% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 550 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X2 280 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A4-5300 uses FM2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The A4-5300 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X2 280) vs 16 (A4-5300) — the A4-5300 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: 870,880G,890GX,890FX,970,990X,990FX (Athlon II X2 280) and A55,A75,A85X (A4-5300).
| Feature | Athlon II X2 280 | A4-5300 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FM2 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 32 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ✅ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. The A4-5300 includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 7480D), while the Athlon II X2 280 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X2 280 targets Legacy Desktop, A4-5300 targets Budget Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 280 rivals Pentium E6700; A4-5300 rivals Celeron G1620.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 280 | A4-5300 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Radeon HD 7480D |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Legacy Desktop | Budget Desktop |
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