Pentium E5400 vs Athlon II X2 215
Pentium E5400
Athlon II X2 215
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 E5400 is positioned at rank 830 and the Athlon II X2 215 is on rank 739, so the Athlon II X2 215 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium E5400
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 215
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium E5400 | Athlon II X2 215 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Balanced gaming performance | Balanced gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($49) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium E5400 | Athlon II X2 215 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+392%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($49) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
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 E5400 and Athlon II X2 215
Pentium E5400
The Pentium E5400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 18 January 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,007 points. Launch price was $55.
Athlon II X2 215
The Athlon II X2 215 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. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,011 points. Launch price was $45.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium E5400 and Athlon II X2 215 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Pentium E5400 versus 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X2 215 — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Pentium E5400 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II X2 215 uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium E5400 scores 1,007 against the Athlon II X2 215's 1,011 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon II X2 215. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Pentium E5400 | Athlon II X2 215 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.7 GHz | 2.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.7 GHz | 2.7 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (total)+300% | 512 kB |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Wolfdale (2008−2010) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,007 | 1,011 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 274 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 674 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium E5400 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon II X2 215 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium E5400 | Athlon II X2 215 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | 1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium E5400) / true (Athlon II X2 215). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 215 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 215 rivals Pentium E5400.
| Feature | Pentium E5400 | Athlon II X2 215 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| IGPU Model | — | None |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | true |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
Value Analysis
The Pentium E5400 launched at $55 MSRP, while the Athlon II X2 215 debuted at $45. At current prices ($49 vs $10), the Athlon II X2 215 is $39 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium E5400 delivers 20.6 pts/$ vs 101.1 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 215 — making the Athlon II X2 215 the 132.4% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium E5400 | Athlon II X2 215 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $55 | $45-18% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $49 | $10-80% |
| Performance per Dollar | 20.6 | 101.1+391% |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2009 |
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