Athlon II X2 280 vs Core Duo T2300
Athlon II X2 280
Core Duo T2300
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 Core Duo T2300 is on rank 55, so the Core Duo T2300 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 Core Duo T2300
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 280 | Core Duo T2300 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower 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 (Yonah (2005−2006) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 280 | Core Duo T2300 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Core Duo T2300
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.
Core Duo T2300
The Core Duo T2300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Yonah (2005−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.66 GHz, with boost up to 1.66 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 31 Watt. Memory support: DDR1. Passmark benchmark score: 1,380 points. Launch price was $249.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X2 280 and Core Duo T2300 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 280 versus 1.66 GHz on the Core Duo T2300 — a 73.8% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 280 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 1.66 GHz). The Athlon II X2 280 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Core Duo T2300 uses Yonah (2005−2006) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 280 scores 1,355 against the Core Duo T2300's 1,380 — a 1.8% lead for the Core Duo T2300. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 280 | Core Duo T2300 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz+117% | 1.66 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.6 GHz+117% | 1.66 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 2 MB+100% |
| Process | 45 nm-31% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Yonah (2005−2006) |
| PassMark | 1,355 | 1,380+2% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 290 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 550 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X2 280 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core Duo T2300 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 280 | Core Duo T2300 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | PGA478 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ✅ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 280) / not specified (Core Duo T2300). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 280 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 280 rivals Pentium E6700.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 280 | Core Duo T2300 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Legacy Desktop | — |
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