Athlon X2 BE-2300 vs Pentium D 940

Athlon X2 BE-2300 vs Pentium D 940 Performance Spectrum

Athlon X2 BE-2300

2 / 2

905

+3.4%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium D 940

2 / 2

875

0.0%

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 X2 BE-2300 vs Pentium D 940 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 X2 BE-2300 vs Pentium D 940: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon X2 BE-2300

2007

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $32 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $132 MSRP).
✅Delivers 36.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 9.1 vs 6.6 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $132 MSRP).
✅Draws 45W instead of 130W, a 85W reduction.

Trade-offs

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

Pentium D 940

2006

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon X2 BE-2300 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (875 vs 905).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.6 vs 9.1 PassMark/$ ($132 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
❌188.9% higher power demand at 130W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon X2 BE-2300 better than Pentium D 940?

Yes. Athlon X2 BE-2300 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 3.4% 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 X2 BE-2300 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.5% 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 X2 BE-2300 is the stronger fit. You are getting 3.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon X2 BE-2300 is the better buy right now. Athlon X2 BE-2300 comes in $32 cheaper on MSRP at $100 MSRP versus $132 MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 36.5% better value on MSRP (9.1 vs 6.6 PassMark/$), 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 X2 BE-2300 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2007 vs 2006) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon X2 BE-2300 vs Pentium D 940 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon X2 BE-2300

The Athlon X2 BE-2300 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Brisbane (2007−2008) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 905 points. Launch price was $149.

Pentium D 940

The Pentium D 940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 January 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 875 points. Launch price was $423.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon X2 BE-2300 and Pentium D 940 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.9 GHz on the Athlon X2 BE-2300 versus 3.2 GHz on the Pentium D 940 — a 51% clock advantage for the Pentium D 940. The Athlon X2 BE-2300 uses the Brisbane (2007−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium D 940 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X2 BE-2300 scores 905 against the Pentium D 940's 875 — a 3.4% lead for the Athlon X2 BE-2300. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon X2 BE-2300	Pentium D 940
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	1.9 GHz	3.2 GHz+68%
Base Clock	—	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB	2 MB (total)+300%
Process	65 nm	65 nm
Architecture	Brisbane (2007−2008)	NetBurst (2000−2006)
PassMark	905+3%	875

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon X2 BE-2300 uses the AM2 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium D 940 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon X2 BE-2300	Pentium D 940
Socket	AM2	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-800	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon X2 BE-2300 was priced at $100, while the Pentium D 940 came in at $132. On launch pricing ($100 vs $132), Athlon X2 BE-2300 was $32 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon X2 BE-2300 delivers 9.1 pts/$ vs 6.6 pts/$ for the Pentium D 940 — making the Athlon X2 BE-2300 the 30.9% better value option.

Feature	Athlon X2 BE-2300	Pentium D 940
MSRP	$100-24%	$132
Performance per Dollar	9.1+38%	6.6
Release Date	2007	2006

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