Core i3-5005U vs Athlon II X4 615e
Core i3-5005U
Athlon II X4 615e
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 i3-5005U is positioned at rank 362 and the Athlon II X4 615e is on rank 983, so the Core i3-5005U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-5005U
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X4 615e
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-5005U | Athlon II X4 615e |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Propus (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-5005U | Athlon II X4 615e |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30) |
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 i3-5005U and Athlon II X4 615e
Core i3-5005U
The Core i3-5005U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,012 points. Launch price was $275.
Athlon II X4 615e
The Athlon II X4 615e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,018 points. Launch price was $59.
Processing Power
The Core i3-5005U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon II X4 615e offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 615e has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Core i3-5005U versus 2.5 GHz on the Athlon II X4 615e — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 615e (base: 2 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Core i3-5005U uses the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture (14 nm), while the Athlon II X4 615e uses Propus (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-5005U scores 2,012 against the Athlon II X4 615e's 2,018 — a 0.3% lead for the Athlon II X4 615e. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 617 vs 331, a 60.3% lead for the Core i3-5005U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,227 vs 1,161 (5.5% advantage for the Core i3-5005U). L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-5005U vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 615e.
| Feature | Core i3-5005U | Athlon II X4 615e |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 2.5 GHz+25% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | 2.5 GHz+25% |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Broadwell-U (2015) | Propus (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,012 | 2,018 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 1,161 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 617+86% | 331 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,227+6% | 1,161 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-5005U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II X4 615e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3L-1600 memory speed. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 12 (Core i3-5005U) vs 16 (Athlon II X4 615e) — the Athlon II X4 615e offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Intel Broadwell-U (Core i3-5005U) and AMD 870,AMD 880G,AMD 890FX,AMD 990FX (Athlon II X4 615e).
| Feature | Core i3-5005U | Athlon II X4 615e |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | 16+33% |
Advanced Features
Virtualization support: true (Core i3-5005U) vs AMD-V (Athlon II X4 615e). The Core i3-5005U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 5500), while the Athlon II X4 615e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X4 615e targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Athlon II X4 615e rivals Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300.
| Feature | Core i3-5005U | Athlon II X4 615e |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 5500 | — |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | true | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Gaming |
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