CPU
GPU
Pentium 3556U
Athlon II X2 250
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 Pentium 3556U is positioned at rank 253 and the Athlon II X2 250 is on rank 955, so the Pentium 3556U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 3556U
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 250
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium 3556U | Athlon II X2 250 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium 3556U | Athlon II X2 250 |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
Counter-Strike 2
Valorant
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Pentium 3556U and Athlon II X2 250
Pentium 3556U
The Pentium 3556U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,072 points. Launch price was $69.
Athlon II X2 250
The Athlon II X2 250 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 June 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,080 points. Launch price was $39.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium 3556U and Athlon II X2 250 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.7 GHz on the Pentium 3556U versus 3 GHz on the Athlon II X2 250 — a 55.3% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 250 (base: 1.7 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Pentium 3556U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Athlon II X2 250 uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium 3556U scores 1,072 against the Athlon II X2 250's 1,080 — a 0.7% lead for the Athlon II X2 250. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 3556U vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 250.
| Feature | Pentium 3556U | Athlon II X2 250 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.7 GHz | 3 GHz+76% |
| Base Clock | 1.7 GHz | 3 GHz+76% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 2 MB+700% |
| Process | 22 nm-51% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,072 | 1,080 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium 3556U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II X2 250 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium 3556U | Athlon II X2 250 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | 1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium 3556U) / true (Athlon II X2 250). Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 250 rivals Pentium E5700.
| Feature | Pentium 3556U | Athlon II X2 250 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | true |
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