Athlon X2 L310 vs Xeon E5405

Athlon X2 L310 vs Xeon E5405 Performance Spectrum

Athlon X2 L310

2 / 2

1,747

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Xeon E5405

4 / 4

1,753

+0.3%

Celeron P4600

Celeron Dual-Core T3100

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 L310 vs Xeon E5405 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 L310 vs Xeon E5405: 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 L310

2009

Why buy it

✅Costs $109 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $209 MSRP).
✅Delivers 108.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 17.5 vs 8.4 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $209 MSRP).
✅Draws 1W instead of 80W, a 79W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,747 vs 1,753).
❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5405, which brings 4 cores / 4 threads.

Xeon E5405

2007

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 4 cores / 4 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.4 vs 17.5 PassMark/$ ($209 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
❌7900% higher power demand at 80W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Xeon E5405 better than Athlon X2 L310?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E5405 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Athlon X2 L310 is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Xeon E5405 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.0% more average FPS across 18 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Xeon E5405 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Xeon E5405 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Xeon E5405 comes in 109.0% more expensive on MSRP at $209 MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.0% average FPS lead across 18 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon X2 L310 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2009 platform. Even with 108.3% better value on paper (17.5 vs 8.4 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on S1.

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

Athlon X2 L310 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2009 vs 2007). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon X2 L310 vs Xeon E5405 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon X2 L310

The Athlon X2 L310 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Conesus (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.2 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,747 points. Launch price was $149.

Xeon E5405

The Xeon E5405 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 November 2007 (18 years ago). It is based on the Harpertown (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA771. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 1,753 points. Launch price was $209.

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Processing Power

The Athlon X2 L310 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Xeon E5405 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon E5405 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.2 GHz on the Athlon X2 L310 versus 2 GHz on the Xeon E5405 — a 50% clock advantage for the Xeon E5405. The Athlon X2 L310 uses the Conesus (2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Xeon E5405 uses Harpertown (2007−2008) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X2 L310 scores 1,747 against the Xeon E5405's 1,753 — a 0.3% lead for the Xeon E5405.

Feature	Athlon X2 L310	Xeon E5405
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	1.2 GHz	2 GHz+67%
Base Clock	—	2 GHz
L3 Cache	—	12 MB L2 Cache
L2 Cache	1 MB	6 MB (total)+500%
Process	65 nm	45 nm-31%
Architecture	Conesus (2009)	Harpertown (2007−2008)
PassMark	1,747	1,753
Geekbench 6 Single	120	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	213	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon X2 L310 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5405 uses LGA771 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR2-667 memory speed. The Xeon E5405 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 700% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes.

Feature	Athlon X2 L310	Xeon E5405
Socket	S1	LGA771
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-667	DDR2-667
Max RAM Capacity	4 GB	32 GB+700%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	0	0

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: Yes (Athlon X2 L310) vs VT-x (Xeon E5405). Primary use case: Athlon X2 L310 targets Mobile, Xeon E5405 targets Server.

Feature	Athlon X2 L310	Xeon E5405
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	Yes	VT-x
Target Use	Mobile	Server

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon X2 L310 was priced at $100, while the Xeon E5405 came in at $209. On launch pricing ($100 vs $209), Athlon X2 L310 was $109 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon X2 L310 delivers 17.5 pts/$ vs 8.4 pts/$ for the Xeon E5405 — making the Athlon X2 L310 the 70.2% better value option.

Feature	Athlon X2 L310	Xeon E5405
MSRP	$100-52%	$209
Performance per Dollar	17.5+108%	8.4
Release Date	2009	2007

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