Intel Core i3-2100 vs AMD Athlon II X2 250

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i3-2100 and AMD Athlon II X2 250 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

Intel Core i3-2100

AMD Athlon II X2 250

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i3-2100

CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 8 month(s) later
Around 3% higher clock speed: 3.1 GHz vs 3 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
Around 18% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1413 vs 1199
Around 59% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 1855 vs 1170
Around 52% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 544 vs 357
Around 88% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 1208 vs 642
6x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 2.043 vs 0.343
6.7x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 34.598 vs 5.142
2.6x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.227 vs 0.089
5.1x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s): 0.938 vs 0.184
Around 29% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 2.215 vs 1.714

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	February 2011 vs June 2009
Maximum frequency	3.1 GHz vs 3 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1413 vs 1199
PassMark - CPU mark	1855 vs 1170
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	544 vs 357
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1208 vs 642
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	2.043 vs 0.343
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	34.598 vs 5.142
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.227 vs 0.089
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	0.938 vs 0.184
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	2.215 vs 1.714

Reasons to consider the AMD Athlon II X2 250

2x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
4x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later

L1 cache	256 KB vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	2048 KB vs 256 KB (per core)

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i3-2100
CPU 2: AMD Athlon II X2 250

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1413

1199

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1855

1170

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

544

357

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

1208

642

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

2.043

0.343

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

34.598

5.142

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.227

0.089

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.938

0.184

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

2.215

1.714

Name	Intel Core i3-2100	AMD Athlon II X2 250
PassMark - Single thread mark	1413	1199
PassMark - CPU mark	1855	1170
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	544	357
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	1208	642
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	0	0
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	2.043	0.343
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	34.598	5.142
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.227	0.089
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	0.938	0.184
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	2.215	1.714

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i3-2100	AMD Athlon II X2 250
Essentials
Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge	Regor
Launch date	February 2011	June 2009
Launch price (MSRP)	$73	$39
Place in performance rating	2919	3204
Price now	$59.99	$189.95
Processor Number	i3-2100
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	18.10	2.70
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.10 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI
Die size	131 mm	117 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	256 KB
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	2048 KB
L3 cache	3072 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	69.1°C
Maximum frequency	3.1 GHz	3 GHz
Number of cores	2	2
Number of threads	4
Transistor count	504 million	410 million
Memory
Max memory channels	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	21 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066/1333	DDR3
Graphics
Device ID	0x102
Graphics base frequency	850 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency	1.10 GHz
Graphics max frequency	1.1 GHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Intel® InTru™ 3D technology
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Processor graphics	Intel® HD Graphics 2000
Graphics interfaces
Number of displays supported	2
Wireless Display (WiDi) support
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1155	AM3
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt	65 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	16
PCI Express revision	2.0
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Fast Memory Access
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)