Pentium E6700 vs Athlon II X2 255
Pentium E6700
Athlon II X2 255
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 E6700 is positioned at rank 915 and the Athlon II X2 255 is on rank 793, so the Athlon II X2 255 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium E6700
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 255
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium E6700 | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($5) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Wolfdale (2008−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium E6700 | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+101%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($5) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($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 E6700 and Athlon II X2 255
Pentium E6700
The Pentium E6700 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) 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 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,219 points. Launch price was $80.
Athlon II X2 255
The Athlon II X2 255 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,210 points. Launch price was $60.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium E6700 and Athlon II X2 255 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Pentium E6700 versus 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X2 255 — a 3.2% clock advantage for the Pentium E6700 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Pentium E6700 uses the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II X2 255 uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium E6700 scores 1,219 against the Athlon II X2 255's 1,210 — a 0.7% lead for the Pentium E6700. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Pentium E6700 | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz+3% | 3.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+3% | 3.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB (total)+100% | 1 MB |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Wolfdale (2008−2010) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,219 | 1,210 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 265 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 500 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium E6700 uses the LGA775 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon II X2 255 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1066 memory speed. The Athlon II X2 255 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 0 PCIe lanes.
| Feature | Pentium E6700 | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA775 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1066 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 16 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x (Pentium E6700) vs AMD-V (Athlon II X2 255). Primary use case: Pentium E6700 targets Desktop, Athlon II X2 255 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 255 rivals Pentium E5700.
| Feature | Pentium E6700 | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Desktop | Legacy Desktop |
Value Analysis
The Pentium E6700 launched at $86 MSRP, while the Athlon II X2 255 debuted at $60. At current prices ($5 vs $10), the Pentium E6700 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium E6700 delivers 243.8 pts/$ vs 121.0 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 255 — making the Pentium E6700 the 67.3% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium E6700 | Athlon II X2 255 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $86 | $60-30% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $5-50% | $10 |
| Performance per Dollar | 243.8+101% | 121.0 |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2010 |
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