Athlon II X4 615e vs Pentium G3250

AMD

Athlon II X4 615e

4 Cores4 Thrd45 WWMax: 2.5 GHz2010
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Pentium G3250

2 Cores2 Thrd54 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2014
Similar parts
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Athlon II X4 615e vs Pentium G3250 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 X4 615e vs Pentium G3250 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 X4 615e vs Pentium G3250: 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 X4 615e

2010

Why buy it

  • +0.4% higher PassMark.
  • Draws 45W instead of 54W, a 9W reduction.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Pentium G3250.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.8 vs 11.8 PassMark/$ ($186 MSRP vs $171 MSRP).

Pentium G3250

2014

Why buy it

  • Costs $15 less on MSRP ($171 MSRP vs $186 MSRP).
  • Delivers 8.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 11.8 vs 10.8 PassMark/$ ($171 MSRP vs $186 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (2,010 vs 2,018).
  • 20% higher power demand at 54W vs 45W.
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X4 615e.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium G3250 better than Athlon II X4 615e?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium G3250 is ahead with a 1.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X4 615e 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, Athlon II X4 615e is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Pentium G3250 is the better buy right now. Pentium G3250 comes in $15 cheaper on MSRP at $171 MSRP versus $186 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Athlon II X4 615e is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.4% better PassMark. It is also 8.3% better value on MSRP (11.8 vs 10.8 PassMark/$), 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 G3250 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X4 615e vs Pentium G3250 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon II X4 615e

The Athlon II X4 615e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,018 points. Launch price was $59.

Intel

Pentium G3250

The Pentium G3250 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 July 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 53 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,010 points. Launch price was $171.

Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 615e packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium G3250 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon II X4 615e has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Athlon II X4 615e versus 3.2 GHz on the Pentium G3250 — a 24.6% clock advantage for the Pentium G3250 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Athlon II X4 615e uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium G3250 uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 615e scores 2,018 against the Pentium G3250's 2,010 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon II X4 615e. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 615e vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G3250.

FeatureAthlon II X4 615ePentium G3250
Cores / Threads
4 / 4+100%
2 / 2
Boost Clock
2.5 GHz
3.2 GHz+28%
Base Clock
2.5 GHz
3.2 GHz+28%
L3 Cache
0 kB
3 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)+100%
256 kB (per core)
Process
45 nm
22 nm-51%
Architecture
Propus (2009−2011)
Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark
2,018
2,010
Cinebench R23 Multi
1,161
Geekbench 6 Single
331
Geekbench 6 Multi
1,161
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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 615e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium G3250 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureAthlon II X4 615ePentium G3250
Socket
AM3
LGA1150
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%
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 X4 615e) / not specified (Pentium G3250). Primary use case: Athlon II X4 615e targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Athlon II X4 615e rivals Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300.

FeatureAthlon II X4 615ePentium G3250
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
Yes
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Gaming
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X4 615e was priced at $186, while the Pentium G3250 came in at $171. On launch pricing ($186 vs $171), Pentium G3250 was $15 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X4 615e delivers 10.8 pts/$ vs 11.8 pts/$ for the Pentium G3250 — making the Pentium G3250 the 8% better value option.

FeatureAthlon II X4 615ePentium G3250
MSRP
$186
$171-8%
Performance per Dollar
10.8
11.8+9%
Release Date
2010
2014

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