Pentium Dual-Core E2160 vs Athlon II X2 250u
Pentium Dual-Core E2160
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 Dual-Core E2160 is positioned at rank 990 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 Dual-Core E2160
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 250u
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium Dual-Core E2160 | Athlon II X2 250u |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($5) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (NetBurst (2000−2006) / 65 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium Dual-Core E2160 | Athlon II X2 250u |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+181%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($5) | ⚠️ 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 Pentium Dual-Core E2160 and Athlon II X2 250u
Pentium Dual-Core E2160
The Pentium Dual-Core E2160 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 875 points. Launch price was $69.
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 Dual-Core E2160 and Athlon II X2 250u share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the Pentium Dual-Core E2160 versus 1.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 250u — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Pentium Dual-Core E2160. The Pentium Dual-Core E2160 uses the NetBurst (2000−2006) architecture (65 nm), while the Athlon II X2 250u uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Dual-Core E2160 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 Dual-Core E2160 | Athlon II X2 250u |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 1.8 GHz+12% | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (total) | 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 Dual-Core E2160 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 Dual-Core E2160 | 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 Dual-Core E2160) / 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 Dual-Core E2160 | Athlon II X2 250u |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Low Power Desktop |
Value Analysis
The Pentium Dual-Core E2160 launched at $84 MSRP, while the Athlon II X2 250u debuted at $60. At current prices ($5 vs $15), the Pentium Dual-Core E2160 is $10 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium Dual-Core E2160 delivers 175.0 pts/$ vs 62.3 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 250u — making the Pentium Dual-Core E2160 the 94.9% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium Dual-Core E2160 | Athlon II X2 250u |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $84 | $60-29% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $5-67% | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 175.0+181% | 62.3 |
| Release Date | 2007 | 2009 |
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