Pentium G860 vs Athlon II Neo K125
Pentium G860
Athlon II Neo K125
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 G860 is positioned at rank 861 and the Athlon II Neo K125 is on rank 982, so the Pentium G860 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G860
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II Neo K125
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium G860 | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($36) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Geneva (2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium G860 | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+177%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($36) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($100) |
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 G860 and Athlon II Neo K125
Pentium G860
The Pentium G860 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,485 points. Launch price was $75.
Athlon II Neo K125
The Athlon II Neo K125 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Geneva (2010) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.7 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,491 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Pentium G860 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Athlon II Neo K125 offers 1 cores / 1 threads — the Pentium G860 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Pentium G860 versus 1.7 GHz on the Athlon II Neo K125 — a 55.3% clock advantage for the Pentium G860. The Pentium G860 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II Neo K125 uses Geneva (2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium G860 scores 1,485 against the Athlon II Neo K125's 1,491 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon II Neo K125.
| Feature | Pentium G860 | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2+100% | 1 / 1 |
| Boost Clock | 3 GHz+76% | 1.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 1 MB+300% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Geneva (2010) |
| PassMark | 1,485 | 1,491 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium G860 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II Neo K125 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Pentium G860 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Pentium G860) vs 0 (Athlon II Neo K125) — the Pentium G860 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Pentium G860 | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3-800 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+700% | 4 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x (Pentium G860) / not specified (Athlon II Neo K125). The Pentium G860 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics), while the Athlon II Neo K125 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium G860 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Pentium G860 | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x | — |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
Value Analysis
The Pentium G860 launched at $86 MSRP, while the Athlon II Neo K125 debuted at $100. At current prices ($36 vs $100), the Pentium G860 is $64 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium G860 delivers 41.3 pts/$ vs 14.9 pts/$ for the Athlon II Neo K125 — making the Pentium G860 the 93.8% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium G860 | Athlon II Neo K125 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $86-14% | $100 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $36-64% | $100 |
| Performance per Dollar | 41.3+177% | 14.9 |
| Release Date | 2011 | 2010 |
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