Opteron 250 vs Athlon 64 3600+
Opteron 250
Athlon 64 3600+
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 Opteron 250 is positioned at rank 700 and the Athlon 64 3600+ is on rank 1078, so the Opteron 250 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Opteron 250
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 3600+
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Opteron 250 | Athlon 64 3600+ |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Balanced gaming performance | Balanced gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (SledgeHammer (2003−2005) / 130 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Clawhammer (2001−2005) / 130 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Opteron 250 | Athlon 64 3600+ |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Opteron 250 and Athlon 64 3600+
Opteron 250
The Opteron 250 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Dezembro 2004 (21 years ago). It is based on the SledgeHammer (2003−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: 940. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 620 points. Launch price was $12.
Athlon 64 3600+
The Athlon 64 3600+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Clawhammer (2001−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.4 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: 754. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Memory support: DDR1. Passmark benchmark score: 595 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Opteron 250 and Athlon 64 3600+ share an identical 1-core/1-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Opteron 250 versus 2.4 GHz on the Athlon 64 3600+ — identical boost frequencies. The Opteron 250 uses the SledgeHammer (2003−2005) architecture (130 nm), while the Athlon 64 3600+ uses Clawhammer (2001−2005) (130 nm). In PassMark, the Opteron 250 scores 620 against the Athlon 64 3600+'s 595 — a 4.1% lead for the Opteron 250.
| Feature | Opteron 250 | Athlon 64 3600+ |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 1 / 1 | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz | 2.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Process | 130 nm | 130 nm |
| Architecture | SledgeHammer (2003−2005) | Clawhammer (2001−2005) |
| PassMark | 620+4% | 595 |
Memory & Platform
The Opteron 250 uses the 940 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon 64 3600+ uses 754 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Opteron 250 | Athlon 64 3600+ |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | 940 | 754 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR2-800 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
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