Athlon X2 QL-66
VS
A8-4500M

Athlon X2 QL-66 vs A8-4500M

AMD

Athlon X2 QL-66

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2009
VS
AMD

A8-4500M

4 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2012

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon X2 QL-66 is positioned at rank 1048 and the A8-4500M is on rank 728, so the A8-4500M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon X2 QL-66

#1036
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
2596%
#1037
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
2558%
#1038
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
2349%
#1039
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
2338%
#1040
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
2317%
#1042
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
2237%
#1043
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
2145%
#1044
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
2142%
#1045
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
2084%
#1048
Athlon X2 QL-66
MSRP: $150|Avg: $5
100%
#1049
Athlon II Neo K145
MSRP: $50|Avg: $10
100%
#1050
Celeron P4600
MSRP: $86|Avg: $15
99%
#1051
Core 2 Duo U7500
MSRP: $100|Avg: $10
99%
#1052
Pentium 987
MSRP: $134|Avg: $20
98%
#1053
Core i7-4910MQ
MSRP: $570|Avg: $570
98%
#1054
Pentium T4400
MSRP: $107|Avg: $5
97%
#1056
Athlon X2 QL-65
MSRP: $150|Avg: $22
96%
#1057
Pentium J2850
MSRP: $94|Avg: $94
96%
#1058
Core i7-4900MQ
MSRP: $570|Avg: $40
95%
#1059
Celeron P4505
MSRP: $86|Avg: $86
94%
#1060
Pentium Dual Core T2370
MSRP: $150|Avg: $25
94%
#1061
Pentium T4200
MSRP: $99|Avg: $10
94%
#1062
Core i7-2720QM
MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A
94%
#1063
Pentium 2020M
MSRP: $134|Avg: N/A
93%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar A8-4500M

#716
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1040%
#717
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1024%
#718
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
940%
#719
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
936%
#720
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
928%
#722
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
896%
#723
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
859%
#724
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
858%
#725
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
835%
#728
A8-4500M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The A8-4500M leads in gaming performance. However, the Athlon X2 QL-66 is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.1% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightAthlon X2 QL-66A8-4500M
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($5)
More affordable ($0)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Lion (2008−2009) / 65 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Trinity (2012−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightAthlon X2 QL-66A8-4500M
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($5)
More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Athlon X2 QL-66 and A8-4500M

AMD

Athlon X2 QL-66

The Athlon X2 QL-66 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: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1g2. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,695 points. Launch price was $149.

AMD

A8-4500M

The A8-4500M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FS1r2. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: unknown. Passmark benchmark score: 1,693 points. Launch price was $90.

Processing Power

The Athlon X2 QL-66 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the A8-4500M offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the A8-4500M has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Athlon X2 QL-66 versus 2.8 GHz on the A8-4500M — a 24% clock advantage for the A8-4500M. The Athlon X2 QL-66 uses the Lion (2008−2009) architecture (65 nm), while the A8-4500M uses Trinity (2012−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X2 QL-66 scores 1,695 against the A8-4500M's 1,693 — a 0.1% lead for the Athlon X2 QL-66.

FeatureAthlon X2 QL-66A8-4500M
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock
2.2 GHz
2.8 GHz+27%
Base Clock
1.9 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
L2 Cache
1 MB
4 MB (total)+300%
Process
65 nm
32 nm-51%
Architecture
Lion (2008−2009)
Trinity (2012−2013)
PassMark
1,695
1,693
Geekbench 6 Single
283
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon X2 QL-66 uses the S1g2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A8-4500M uses FS1r2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-667 on the Athlon X2 QL-66 versus DDR3-1600 on the A8-4500M — the A8-4500M supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The A8-4500M supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon X2 QL-66) vs 16 (A8-4500M) — the A8-4500M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

FeatureAthlon X2 QL-66A8-4500M
Socket
S1g2
FS1r2
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR2-667
DDR3-1600+50%
Max RAM Capacity
8 GB
16 GB+100%
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
0
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon X2 QL-66) / AMD-V (A8-4500M). The A8-4500M includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 7640G), while the Athlon X2 QL-66 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A8-4500M targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: A8-4500M rivals Core i3-3110M.

FeatureAthlon X2 QL-66A8-4500M
Integrated GPU
No
Yes
IGPU Model
Radeon HD 7640G
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Mainstream Laptop