Athlon PRO 200GE vs Core i5-6287U

AMD

Athlon PRO 200GE

2 Cores2 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2018
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Core i5-6287U

2 Cores4 Thrd28 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2015
Similar parts
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Athlon PRO 200GE vs Core i5-6287U 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 PRO 200GE vs Core i5-6287U 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 PRO 200GE vs Core i5-6287U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon PRO 200GE

2018

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +5.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $55 MSRP, while Core i5-6287U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 25% higher power demand at 35W vs 28W.

Core i5-6287U

2015

Why buy it

  • Draws 28W instead of 35W, a 7W reduction.
  • 50% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon PRO 200GE across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (3,801 vs 3,816).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon PRO 200GE better than Core i5-6287U?
Yes. Athlon PRO 200GE is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 5.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.4% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Athlon PRO 200GE is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 5.3% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon PRO 200GE is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Athlon PRO 200GE is the better buy right now. Athlon PRO 200GE comes in at an unclear MSRP at $55 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (69.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 PRO 200GE makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2015) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon PRO 200GE vs Core i5-6287U Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon PRO 200GE

The Athlon PRO 200GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 3,816 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Core i5-6287U

The Core i5-6287U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,801 points. Launch price was $304.

Processing Power

The Athlon PRO 200GE packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i5-6287U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Athlon PRO 200GE versus 3.5 GHz on the Core i5-6287U — a 9% clock advantage for the Core i5-6287U (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Athlon PRO 200GE uses the Zen (2017−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-6287U uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon PRO 200GE scores 3,816 against the Core i5-6287U's 3,801 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon PRO 200GE. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon PRO 200GE vs 4 MB on the Core i5-6287U.

FeatureAthlon PRO 200GECore i5-6287U
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 4
Boost Clock
3.2 GHz
3.5 GHz+9%
Base Clock
3.2 GHz+3%
3.1 GHz
L3 Cache
4 MB (total)
4 MB
L2 Cache
512K (per core)
512 kB
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Zen (2017−2020)
Skylake (2015−2016)
PassMark
3,816
3,801
Geekbench 6 Single
816
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Memory & Platform

The Athlon PRO 200GE uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-6287U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Athlon PRO 200GE versus DDR4-2133 on the Core i5-6287U — the Athlon PRO 200GE supports 25% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon PRO 200GE supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (Athlon PRO 200GE) vs 12 (Core i5-6287U) — the Core i5-6287U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD AM4 (Athlon PRO 200GE) and Skylake-U (Core i5-6287U).

FeatureAthlon PRO 200GECore i5-6287U
Socket
AM4
BGA1356
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2666+25%
DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB+100%
32 GB
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
Yes
No
PCIe Lanes
8
12+50%
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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon PRO 200GE) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-6287U). Both include integrated graphics AMD Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon PRO 200GE) and Iris Graphics 550 (Core i5-6287U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-6287U targets High Performance Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i5-6287U rivals FX-9800P.

FeatureAthlon PRO 200GECore i5-6287U
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
AMD Radeon Vega 3
Iris Graphics 550
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use
High Performance Laptop