CPU
GPU
Pentium D 940
Athlon II X2 250u
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 D 940 is positioned at rank 1055 and the Athlon II X2 250u is on rank 891, so the Athlon II X2 250u offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium D 940
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 250u
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium D 940 | Athlon II X2 250u |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium D 940 | Athlon II X2 250u |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+7%) |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 Pentium D 940 and Athlon II X2 250u
Pentium D 940
The Pentium D 940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 January 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 875 points. Launch price was $423.
Athlon II X2 250u
The Athlon II X2 250u is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.6 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: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 935 points. Launch price was $35.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium D 940 and Athlon II X2 250u share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Pentium D 940 versus 1.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 250u — a 66.7% clock advantage for the Pentium D 940. The Pentium D 940 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (65 nm), while the Athlon II X2 250u uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium D 940 scores 875 against the Athlon II X2 250u's 935 — a 6.6% lead for the Athlon II X2 250u. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Pentium D 940 | Athlon II X2 250u |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz+100% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (total)+100% | 1 MB |
| Process | 65 nm | 45 nm-31% |
| Architecture | NetBurst (2000−2006) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 875 | 935+7% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 222 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 423 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium D 940 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon II X2 250u uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium D 940 | Athlon II X2 250u |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1066 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium D 940) / AMD-V (Athlon II X2 250u). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 250u targets Low Power Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 250u rivals Core 2 Duo E7500.
| Feature | Pentium D 940 | Athlon II X2 250u |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Low Power Desktop |
Value Analysis
The Pentium D 940 launched at $132 MSRP, while the Athlon II X2 250u debuted at $60. At current prices ($15 vs $15), the Athlon II X2 250u is $0 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium D 940 delivers 58.3 pts/$ vs 62.3 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 250u — making the Athlon II X2 250u the 6.6% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium D 940 | Athlon II X2 250u |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $132 | $60-55% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 58.3 | 62.3+7% |
| Release Date | 2006 | 2009 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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