Pentium G840 vs Athlon II X2 280
Pentium G840
Athlon II X2 280
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 G840 is positioned at rank 764 and the Athlon II X2 280 is on rank 638, so the Athlon II X2 280 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G840
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 280
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium G840 | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium G840 | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+1%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| 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 G840 and Athlon II X2 280
Pentium G840
The Pentium G840 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 22 May 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,367 points. Launch price was $60.
Athlon II X2 280
The Athlon II X2 280 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 February 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 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: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,355 points. Launch price was $100.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium G840 and Athlon II X2 280 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Pentium G840 versus 3.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 280 — a 25% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 280 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Pentium G840 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II X2 280 uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium G840 scores 1,367 against the Athlon II X2 280's 1,355 — a 0.9% lead for the Pentium G840. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G840 vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 280.
| Feature | Pentium G840 | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz | 3.6 GHz+29% |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz | 3.6 GHz+29% |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 1 MB+300% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,367 | 1,355 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 290 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 550 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium G840 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X2 280 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium G840 | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium G840) / AMD-V (Athlon II X2 280). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 280 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 280 rivals Pentium E6700.
| Feature | Pentium G840 | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Legacy Desktop |
Value Analysis
The Pentium G840 launched at $64 MSRP, while the Athlon II X2 280 debuted at $50. At current prices ($15 vs $15), the Athlon II X2 280 is $0 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium G840 delivers 91.1 pts/$ vs 90.3 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 280 — making the Pentium G840 the 0.9% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium G840 | Athlon II X2 280 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $64 | $50-22% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 91.1 | 90.3 |
| Release Date | 2011 | 2013 |
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