CPU
GPU
Celeron 3865U
Athlon II X2 280
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 Celeron 3865U is positioned at rank 645 and the Athlon II X2 280 is on rank 638, so the Athlon II X2 280 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron 3865U
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 280
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron 3865U | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Kaby Lake-U (2017) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron 3865U | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
Performance Check
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 Celeron 3865U and Athlon II X2 280
Celeron 3865U
The Celeron 3865U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake-U (2017) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,343 points. Launch price was $107.
Athlon II X2 280
The Athlon II X2 280 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 February 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,355 points. Launch price was $100.
Processing Power
Both the Celeron 3865U and Athlon II X2 280 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the Celeron 3865U versus 3.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 280 — a 66.7% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 280 (base: 1.8 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Celeron 3865U uses the Kaby Lake-U (2017) architecture (14 nm), while the Athlon II X2 280 uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron 3865U scores 1,343 against the Athlon II X2 280's 1,355 — a 0.9% lead for the Athlon II X2 280. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 389 vs 290, a 29.2% lead for the Celeron 3865U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 674 vs 550 (20.3% advantage for the Celeron 3865U). L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Celeron 3865U vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 280.
| Feature | Celeron 3865U | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.8 GHz | 3.6 GHz+100% |
| Base Clock | 1.8 GHz | 3.6 GHz+100% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 1 MB+300% |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Kaby Lake-U (2017) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,343 | 1,355 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 389+34% | 290 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 674+23% | 550 |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron 3865U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II X2 280 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2133 / LPDDR3-1866 on the Celeron 3865U versus DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X2 280 — the Celeron 3865U supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron 3865U supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 10 (Celeron 3865U) vs 0 (Athlon II X2 280) — the Celeron 3865U offers 10 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: 100-series,200-series (Celeron 3865U) and 870,880G,890GX,890FX,970,990X,990FX (Athlon II X2 280).
| Feature | Celeron 3865U | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1356 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2133 / LPDDR3-1866+33% | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+100% | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 10 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Celeron 3865U) vs AMD-V (Athlon II X2 280). The Celeron 3865U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 610), while the Athlon II X2 280 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 3865U targets Entry-level, Athlon II X2 280 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Celeron 3865U rivals Pentium Gold 4415U; Athlon II X2 280 rivals Pentium E6700.
| Feature | Celeron 3865U | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 610 | — |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x / VT-d / EPT | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Entry-level | Legacy Desktop |
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