Core 2 Duo E8300 vs Athlon II X2 270u
Core 2 Duo E8300
Athlon II X2 270u
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 Core 2 Duo E8300 is positioned at rank 1060 and the Athlon II X2 270u is on rank 897, so the Athlon II X2 270u offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo E8300
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 270u
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core 2 Duo E8300 | Athlon II X2 270u |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core 2 Duo E8300 | Athlon II X2 270u |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+101%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
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 Core 2 Duo E8300 and Athlon II X2 270u
Core 2 Duo E8300
The Core 2 Duo E8300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.83 GHz, with boost up to 2.83 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,039 points. Launch price was $249.
Athlon II X2 270u
The Athlon II X2 270u is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,045 points. Launch price was $68.
Processing Power
Both the Core 2 Duo E8300 and Athlon II X2 270u share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.83 GHz on the Core 2 Duo E8300 versus 2 GHz on the Athlon II X2 270u — a 34.4% clock advantage for the Core 2 Duo E8300. The Core 2 Duo E8300 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II X2 270u uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core 2 Duo E8300 scores 1,039 against the Athlon II X2 270u's 1,045 — a 0.6% lead for the Athlon II X2 270u. Cinebench R23 multi-core: 1,000 vs 531 (61.3% advantage for the Core 2 Duo E8300). Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 345 vs 300, a 14% lead for the Core 2 Duo E8300 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 771 vs 550 (33.5% advantage for the Core 2 Duo E8300). Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E8300 | Athlon II X2 270u |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.83 GHz+42% | 2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.83 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB (total)+500% | 1 MB |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Wolfdale (2008−2010) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,039 | 1,045 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 1,000+88% | 531 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 345+15% | 300 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 771+40% | 550 |
Memory & Platform
The Core 2 Duo E8300 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon II X2 270u uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: P35,P45,G33,G31 (Core 2 Duo E8300) and AMD 760G,AMD 880G,AMD 970 (Athlon II X2 270u).
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E8300 | Athlon II X2 270u |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x (Core 2 Duo E8300) vs AMD-V (Athlon II X2 270u). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo E8300 targets Budget, Athlon II X2 270u targets Office/Budget Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 270u rivals Pentium E5700.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E8300 | Athlon II X2 270u |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Budget | Office/Budget Desktop |
Value Analysis
The Core 2 Duo E8300 launched at $163 MSRP, while the Athlon II X2 270u debuted at $68. At current prices ($20 vs $10), the Athlon II X2 270u is $10 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core 2 Duo E8300 delivers 52.0 pts/$ vs 104.5 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 270u — making the Athlon II X2 270u the 67.2% better value option.
| Feature | Core 2 Duo E8300 | Athlon II X2 270u |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $163 | $68-58% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $20 | $10-50% |
| Performance per Dollar | 52.0 | 104.5+101% |
| Release Date | 2008 | 2010 |
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