Core i5-2537M vs Athlon II X2 245e

CPU

GPU

Core i5-2537M

2 Cores4 Thrd17 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2011

Athlon II X2 245e

2 Cores2 Thrd45 WWMax: 2.9 GHz2010

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i5-2537M

2 / 4

1,144

+0.3%

1,141

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 i5-2537M is positioned at rank 1217 and the Athlon II X2 245e is on rank 939, so the Athlon II X2 245e 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 Core i5-2537M

#1205

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

6406%

#1206

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

6312%

#1207

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

5795%

#1208

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

5769%

#1209

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

5716%

#1211

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

5520%

#1212

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

5293%

#1213

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

5284%

#1214

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

5142%

#1217

Core i5-2537M

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

100%

#1218

Core i7-720QM

MSRP: $364|Avg: N/A

99%

#1219

Pentium U5400

MSRP: $289|Avg: $214

97%

#1220

Pentium T2330

MSRP: $150|Avg: $7

97%

#1221

Z-01

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

94%

#1222

Pentium T2310

MSRP: $150|Avg: $14

91%

#1223

Celeron SU2300

MSRP: $134|Avg: $134

89%

#1224

Core i5-560UM

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

89%

#1225

Core i7-660UM

MSRP: $317|Avg: N/A

88%

#1226

C-30

MSRP: $50|Avg: $15

88%

#1228

Core i7-620UM

MSRP: $278|Avg: N/A

86%

#1230

Celeron 570

MSRP: $134|Avg: $15

82%

#1232

Core i7-820QM

MSRP: $546|Avg: N/A

73%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 245e

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

23777%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

22467%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

16313%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

4914%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

3893%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

3405%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

1950%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

1925%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

1753%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

1753%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

1733%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

1686%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

1663%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

1656%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

1641%

#938

Core i3-3220T

MSRP: $149|Avg: $146

100%

#939

Athlon II X2 245e

MSRP: $87|Avg: $15

100%

#940

Athlon II X2 240e

MSRP: $77|Avg: $77

100%

#941

Pentium G630T

MSRP: $79|Avg: $15

100%

#942

Core i7-3970X Extreme Edition

MSRP: $990|Avg: $175

99%

#945

Core i5-650

MSRP: $176|Avg: $22

98%

#946

A10-6790B

MSRP: $122|Avg: $50

97%

#947

Phenom X3 8600

MSRP: $100|Avg: $20

97%

#948

Core i3-6100TE

MSRP: $250|Avg: $90

96%

#949

FX-4320

MSRP: $250|Avg: $100

96%

#950

Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition

MSRP: $990|Avg: $150

96%

#951

Celeron E1200

MSRP: $53|Avg: $98

96%

#953

Core i5-660

MSRP: $196|Avg: $150

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i5-2537M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Athlon II X2 245e in both compute-intensive tasks (0.3% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i5-2537M	Athlon II X2 245e
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($250)	✅ More affordable ($15)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Value Proposition: While both processors are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Athlon II X2 245e holds the technical lead in efficiency. Priced at $15 (vs $250), it costs 94% less. While offering basic entry-level performance, it results in a 1562% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Core i5-2537M.

Insight	Core i5-2537M	Athlon II X2 245e
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+1562%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($250)	✅ More affordable ($15)

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.

Core i5-2537M Benchmark Check

Athlon II X2 245e Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-2537M and Athlon II X2 245e

Core i5-2537M

The Core i5-2537M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,144 points. Launch price was $250.

Athlon II X2 245e

The Athlon II X2 245e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,141 points. Launch price was $80.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-2537M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, matching the Athlon II X2 245e's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Core i5-2537M versus 2.9 GHz on the Athlon II X2 245e — a 23.1% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 245e (base: 1.4 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Core i5-2537M uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II X2 245e uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-2537M scores 1,144 against the Athlon II X2 245e's 1,141 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i5-2537M. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 427 vs 319, a 29% lead for the Core i5-2537M that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 717 vs 741 (3.3% advantage for the Athlon II X2 245e). L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-2537M vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 245e.

Feature	Core i5-2537M	Athlon II X2 245e
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.3 GHz	2.9 GHz+26%
Base Clock	1.4 GHz	2.9 GHz+107%
L3 Cache	3 MB (total)	0 kB
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB+300%
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Regor (2009−2013)
PassMark	1,144	1,141
Geekbench 6 Single	427+34%	319
Geekbench 6 Multi	717	741+3%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-2537M uses the BGA1023 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X2 245e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1333 on the Core i5-2537M versus DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X2 245e — the Core i5-2537M supports 199.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 16 of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Chipset compatibility: HM65,HM67,QM67,QS57,QS67,UM67 (Core i5-2537M) and 760G,770,780G,785G,790FX,790GX (Athlon II X2 245e).

Feature	Core i5-2537M	Athlon II X2 245e
Socket	BGA1023	AM3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1333+44333%	DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity	16	16 GB+104857500%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Core i5-2537M) vs AMD-V (Athlon II X2 245e). The Core i5-2537M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 3000), while the Athlon II X2 245e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X2 245e targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i5-2537M rivals Core i5-2410M; Athlon II X2 245e rivals Athlon II X2 270u.