Athlon II X3 440 vs Core 2 Duo SP7500

Athlon II X3 440 vs Core 2 Duo SP7500 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 440

3 / 3

1,743

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core 2 Duo SP7500

2 / 2

1,766

+1.3%

Pentium Dual-Core E2200

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 X3 440 vs Core 2 Duo SP7500 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 X3 440 vs Core 2 Duo SP7500: 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 X3 440

2010

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,743 vs 1,766).
❌Launch MSRP is still $75 MSRP, while Core 2 Duo SP7500 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2275% higher power demand at 95W vs 4W.

Core 2 Duo SP7500

2008

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 4W instead of 95W, a 91W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X3 440 better than Core 2 Duo SP7500?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X3 440 is ahead with a 0.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core 2 Duo SP7500 pulls ahead with 1.3% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core 2 Duo SP7500 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon II X3 440 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X3 440 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $75 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Core 2 Duo SP7500 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.3% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (23.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Athlon II X3 440 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2008). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X3 440 vs Core 2 Duo SP7500 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X3 440

The Athlon II X3 440 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,743 points. Launch price was $47.

Core 2 Duo SP7500

The Core 2 Duo SP7500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Merom (2006−2008) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 4 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,766 points. Launch price was $249.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 440 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Core 2 Duo SP7500 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon II X3 440 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Athlon II X3 440 versus 1.6 GHz on the Core 2 Duo SP7500 — a 60.9% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 440. The Athlon II X3 440 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Duo SP7500 uses Merom (2006−2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 440 scores 1,743 against the Core 2 Duo SP7500's 1,766 — a 1.3% lead for the Core 2 Duo SP7500.

Feature	Athlon II X3 440	Core 2 Duo SP7500
Cores / Threads	3 / 3+50%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	3 GHz+87%	1.6 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	—
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	4 MB+700%
Process	45 nm-31%	65 nm
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Merom (2006−2008)
PassMark	1,743	1,766+1%