Athlon X2 QL-60 vs Core i7-660UM

Athlon X2 QL-60 vs Core i7-660UM Performance Spectrum

Athlon X2 QL-60

2 / 2

1,273

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i7-660UM

2 / 4

1,279

+0.5%

Atom D2550

Pentium T3400

Pentium Dual-Core E2200

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 QL-60 vs Core i7-660UM 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 QL-60 vs Core i7-660UM: 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 QL-60

2008

Why buy it

✅Draws 1W instead of 18W, a 17W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,273 vs 1,279).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i7-660UM can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i7-660UM

2010

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics, while Athlon X2 QL-60 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $317 MSRP, while Athlon X2 QL-60 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1700% higher power demand at 18W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-660UM better than Athlon X2 QL-60?

Yes. Core i7-660UM is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.5% 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, Core i7-660UM is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.4% 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, Core i7-660UM is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i7-660UM is the better buy right now. Core i7-660UM comes in at an unclear MSRP at $317 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (4.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core i7-660UM makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2008) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 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 QL-60 vs Core i7-660UM Technical Specifications

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

Athlon X2 QL-60

The Athlon X2 QL-60 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Lion (2008−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,273 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i7-660UM

The Core i7-660UM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 24 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.33 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800. Passmark benchmark score: 1,279 points. Launch price was $317.

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Processing Power

The Athlon X2 QL-60 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i7-660UM's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 1.9 GHz on the Athlon X2 QL-60 versus 2.4 GHz on the Core i7-660UM — a 23.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-660UM. The Athlon X2 QL-60 uses the Lion (2008−2009) architecture (65 nm), while the Core i7-660UM uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X2 QL-60 scores 1,273 against the Core i7-660UM's 1,279 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i7-660UM. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon X2 QL-60 vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-660UM.

Feature	Athlon X2 QL-60	Core i7-660UM
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	1.9 GHz	2.4 GHz+26%
Base Clock	—	1.33 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB+300%	256 kB (per core)
Process	65 nm	32 nm-51%
Architecture	Lion (2008−2009)	Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,273	1,279
Geekbench 6 Single	—	250
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	600

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon X2 QL-60 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-660UM uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-667 on the Athlon X2 QL-60 versus DDR3-1066 on the Core i7-660UM — the Core i7-660UM supports 59.8% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 8 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon X2 QL-60) vs 16 (Core i7-660UM) — the Core i7-660UM offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD S1 (Athlon X2 QL-60) and PM55,HM55,QM57,HM57 (Core i7-660UM).

Feature	Athlon X2 QL-60	Core i7-660UM
Socket	S1	BGA1288
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-667	DDR3-1066+60%
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	8 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	16

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon X2 QL-60) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-660UM). The Core i7-660UM includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics), while the Athlon X2 QL-60 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-660UM targets Budget.