CPU
GPU
Pentium N3520
Athlon II X2 245e
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 N3520 is positioned at rank 1046 and the Athlon II X2 245e is on rank 939, so the Athlon II X2 245e offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium N3520
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 245e
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium N3520 | Athlon II X2 245e |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium N3520 | Athlon II X2 245e |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+50%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ 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 N3520 and Athlon II X2 245e
Pentium N3520
The Pentium N3520 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 December 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.17 GHz, with boost up to 2.42 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 7.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,144 points. Launch price was $161.
Athlon II X2 245e
The Athlon II X2 245e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,141 points. Launch price was $80.
Processing Power
The Pentium N3520 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon II X2 245e offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Pentium N3520 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.42 GHz on the Pentium N3520 versus 2.9 GHz on the Athlon II X2 245e — a 18% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 245e (base: 2.17 GHz vs 2.9 GHz). The Pentium N3520 uses the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture (22 nm), while the Athlon II X2 245e uses Regor (2009−2013) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium N3520 scores 1,144 against the Athlon II X2 245e's 1,141 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium N3520. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Pentium N3520 vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 245e.
| Feature | Pentium N3520 | Athlon II X2 245e |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.42 GHz | 2.9 GHz+20% |
| Base Clock | 2.17 GHz | 2.9 GHz+34% |
| L3 Cache | 2 MB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+100% | 1 MB |
| Process | 22 nm-51% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) | Regor (2009−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,144 | 1,141 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 319 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 741 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium N3520 uses the FCBGA1170 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X2 245e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium N3520 | Athlon II X2 245e |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1170 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium N3520) / AMD-V (Athlon II X2 245e). Primary use case: Athlon II X2 245e targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 245e rivals Athlon II X2 270u.
| Feature | Pentium N3520 | Athlon II X2 245e |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
Value Analysis
The Pentium N3520 launched at $100 MSRP, while the Athlon II X2 245e debuted at $87. At current prices ($10 vs $15), the Pentium N3520 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium N3520 delivers 114.4 pts/$ vs 76.1 pts/$ for the Athlon II X2 245e — making the Pentium N3520 the 40.3% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium N3520 | Athlon II X2 245e |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $100 | $87-13% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10-33% | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 114.4+50% | 76.1 |
| Release Date | 2013 | 2010 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Pentium N3520 and Athlon II X2 245e
