Athlon X2 BE-2300 vs Pentium Dual-Core E2140

AMD

Athlon X2 BE-2300

2 Cores2 Thrd45 WWMax: 1.9 GHz2007
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Pentium Dual-Core E2140

2 Cores2 Thrd65 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2007
Similar parts
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Athlon X2 BE-2300 vs Pentium Dual-Core E2140 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 X2 BE-2300 vs Pentium Dual-Core E2140 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 Dual-Core E2140: 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: +15.0% higher average FPS across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.1 vs 11.0 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $74 MSRP).

Pentium Dual-Core E2140

2007

Why buy it

  • Costs $26 less on MSRP ($74 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
  • Delivers 21.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 11.0 vs 9.1 PassMark/$ ($74 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon X2 BE-2300 across 45 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (815 vs 905).
  • 44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon X2 BE-2300 better than Pentium Dual-Core E2140?
Yes. Athlon X2 BE-2300 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 15.0% average FPS lead across 45 shared CPU game tests in our data, 11% 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 15.0% more average FPS across 45 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 11% 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 still the much better call for a fresh build. Athlon X2 BE-2300 comes in 35.1% more expensive on MSRP at $100 MSRP versus $74 MSRP, and it still gives you a 15.0% average FPS lead across 45 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium Dual-Core E2140 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2007 platform. Even with 21.7% better value on paper (11.0 vs 9.1 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA775.
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 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 Dual-Core E2140 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

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.

Intel

Pentium Dual-Core E2140

The Pentium Dual-Core E2140 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 815 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

Both the Athlon X2 BE-2300 and Pentium Dual-Core E2140 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.9 GHz on the Athlon X2 BE-2300 versus 1.6 GHz on the Pentium Dual-Core E2140 — a 17.1% clock advantage for the Athlon X2 BE-2300. The Athlon X2 BE-2300 uses the Brisbane (2007−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the Pentium Dual-Core E2140 uses NetBurst (2000−2006) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X2 BE-2300 scores 905 against the Pentium Dual-Core E2140's 815 — a 10.5% lead for the Athlon X2 BE-2300. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

FeatureAthlon X2 BE-2300Pentium Dual-Core E2140
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 2
Boost Clock
1.9 GHz+19%
1.6 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
0 kB
L2 Cache
512 kB
1 MB (total)+100%
Process
65 nm
65 nm
Architecture
Brisbane (2007−2008)
NetBurst (2000−2006)
PassMark
905+11%
815
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Memory & Platform

The Athlon X2 BE-2300 uses the AM2 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Pentium Dual-Core E2140 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureAthlon X2 BE-2300Pentium Dual-Core E2140
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
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Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon X2 BE-2300 was priced at $100, while the Pentium Dual-Core E2140 came in at $74. On launch pricing ($100 vs $74), Pentium Dual-Core E2140 was $26 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon X2 BE-2300 delivers 9.1 pts/$ vs 11.0 pts/$ for the Pentium Dual-Core E2140 — making the Pentium Dual-Core E2140 the 19.6% better value option.

FeatureAthlon X2 BE-2300Pentium Dual-Core E2140
MSRP
$100
$74-26%
Performance per Dollar
9.1
11.0+21%
Release Date
2007
2007

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