Athlon II X2 280

Details and Benchmarks for AMD Athlon II X2 280

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Benchmark Results

Combined benchmark scores based on multiple data points, giving a quick overview of this processor's performance.

Overall Score

Overall score for Athlon II X2 280 based on all benchmark results gathered. Look at this like a meta score, you will find more specific workload ratings below.

4,330 Rank: 1485
Rank Name Score Visual
1481 Core i7-860S 4,337
+0.2%
1482 Core i7-620M 4,337
+0.2%
1483 Intel Core i7-620LM 4,336
+0.1%
1484 A4-7300 4,333
+0.1%
1485 Athlon II X2 280 4,330
1486 Core i3-4030U 4,329
+-0%
1487 A12-9720P 4,328
+-0%
1488 Phenom 9750 4,328
+-0%
1489 Pentium B970 4,325
-0.1%
1490 Xeon X5472 4,325
-0.1%

View full ranking →

Multicore Score

Multicore performance score for Athlon II X2 280 based on multi-threaded benchmark results.

4,320 Rank: 1691
Rank Name Score Visual
1687 Core 2 Duo T9800 4,320
+0%
1688 Athlon II X2 215 4,320
+0%
1689 Core i5-430M 4,320
+0%
1690 Core i3-380M 4,320
+0%
1691 Athlon II X2 280 4,320
1692 Phenom II X2 B53 4,320
+0%
1693 Celeron N2920 4,319
+-0%
1694 A6-5357M 4,319
+-0%
1695 Core i5-2450M 4,318
+-0%
1696 Core i3 550 4,318
+-0%

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Singlecore Score

Single-core performance score for Athlon II X2 280 based on single-threaded benchmark results.

4,337 Rank: 1457
Rank Name Score Visual
1453 Core i5-760 4,339
+0%
1454 Pentium Silver J5040 4,339
+0%
1455 Phenom II X6 1035T 4,337
+0%
1456 Xeon E5430 4,337
+0%
1457 Athlon II X2 280 4,337
1458 Core i3 530 4,335
+-0%
1459 Athlon II X3 455 4,335
+-0%
1460 A9-9425 4,335
+-0%
1461 Intel Core i7-740QM 4,333
-0.1%
1462 Core i5-3317U 4,332
-0.1%

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Workload Scores

Performance scores grouped by workload type, normalized and aggregated from multiple raw benchmark results.

Number Crunching

Aggregated score for Athlon II X2 280 based on integer math, floating point math, and prime number computation benchmarks.

4,495 Rank: 1574
Rank Name Score Visual
1570 Core i5-2537M 4,495
+0%
1571 A4-4000 4,495
+0%
1572 Pentium 2117U 4,495
+0%
1573 A4-5000 4,495
+0%
1574 Athlon II X2 280 4,495
1575 E2-6110 4,495
+0%
1576 Pentium B950 4,494
+-0%
1577 Athlon II X2 265 4,494
+-0%
1578 Pentium E5800 4,494
+-0%
1579 A6-3420M 4,494
+-0%

View full ranking →

Data Processing

Aggregated score for Athlon II X2 280 based on data encryption, data compression, and string sorting benchmarks.

4,484 Rank: 1432
Rank Name Score Visual
1428 A6-7470K 4,484
+0%
1429 Core M-5Y51 4,484
+0%
1430 A6-7310 4,484
+0%
1431 Core i5-540M 4,484
+0%
1432 Athlon II X2 280 4,484
1433 Pentium G2030 4,483
+-0%
1434 Atom x7-Z8700 4,482
+-0%
1435 Xeon E5504 4,482
+-0%
1436 A8-5550M 4,482
+-0%
1437 FX-7500 4,482
+-0%

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Physics & Compute

Aggregated score for Athlon II X2 280 based on physics simulation and extended instruction set (SSE/AVX) benchmarks.

4,473 Rank: 1582
Rank Name Score Visual
1578 Athlon II X2 265 4,473
+0%
1579 Pentium J2900 4,473
+0%
1580 Pentium N3710 4,473
+0%
1581 Atom x5-Z8500 4,473
+0%
1582 Athlon II X2 280 4,473
1583 A6-5400K 4,472
+-0%
1584 Celeron 3205U 4,472
+-0%
1585 Celeron J1900 4,472
+-0%
1586 Pentium N3520 4,472
+-0%
1587 A4-4020 4,472
+-0%

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Athlon II X2 280 Details

The AMD Athlon II X2 280, launched in February 2013, is a dual-core desktop processor built on the 45 nm Regor microarchitecture. Designed for mainstream desktop use, it operates at a base frequency of 3.6 GHz and features a 65 W TDP, making it energy-efficient for its era. With a dual-channel DDR2/DDR3 memory interface and support for PCI-Express 2.0, the chip was positioned as a cost-effective option for budget and mid-range systems. While it lacks integrated graphics, certain AM3 motherboards with compatible chipsets can provide basic graphics functionality. The processor supports a range of AMD instruction sets including SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSE4a, and 3DNow!, along with AMD-V virtualization technology, which enhances performance in virtualized environments.

In terms of performance, the Athlon II X2 280 achieves an overall Passmark score of 4330, ranking it #1485 out of 2060 processors in the database. Its single-core performance is slightly stronger, scoring 4337 and placing it at #1455, indicating a relatively balanced design for its time. However, multicore performance is weaker, with a score of 4320 and a rank of #1685, reflecting the limitations of its dual-core architecture in multi-threaded workloads. The processor is outperformed by modern budget and mid-range CPUs such as the A4-7300 and Pentium G2020, but it remains competitive with older low-power mobile and embedded processors like the Celeron N2920 and Pentium 2127U.

When compared to the top 50 processors in the overall performance list, the Athlon II X2 280 falls far behind high-end models like the Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9995WX and Core Ultra 9 285K, which score over 8,500 and 8,700 respectively. This gap highlights how far CPU technology has advanced since 2013. Despite its age, the Athlon II X2 280 still holds relevance in low-demand environments such as basic office computing, media playback, or as a replacement in older systems. Its 65 W TDP and Socket AM3 compatibility make it a viable choice for upgrading legacy platforms where power efficiency and affordability are priorities.

As of March 2026, the Athlon II X2 280 is best suited for users seeking a reliable, low-cost CPU for non-intensive tasks. While it lacks the performance and features of modern processors, its simplicity and low power draw offer value in niche applications. For users requiring more modern capabilities such as high-core-count processing or advanced instruction sets, newer platforms from AMD and Intel are strongly recommended. The Athlon II X2 280 serves as a reminder of the rapid evolution in CPU design and performance over the past decade.
Frequently Compared

AMD Ryzen 5 3600 4 views

AMD Ryzen 5 3500X 4 views

AMD Phenom II X2 560 4 views

AMD Phenom II X2 555 3 views

AMD Athlon II X3 425 3 views

Intel Core 2 Duo E8600 3 views

AMD Ryzen 3 PRO 2200GE 2 views

Intel Xeon Silver 4214 2 views

Intel Xeon Silver 4208 2 views

Intel Celeron G530 2 views

AMD Athlon II X2 280

Main Specifications

Designer: AMD
Name: Athlon II X2 280
Cores: 2
Threads: 2
Base Frequency: 3600 MHz
Clock Multiplier: 18x (locked)
Core Name: Regor
Socket: Socket AM3
Package: µPGA
Target Segment: Desktop
TDP: 65 W

Cache Specifications

Memory Specifications

Supported Memory Type: DDR2, DDR3

Physical Specifications

Process: 45 nm
Die Area: 117 mm²
Transistor Count: 0.00 billion

CPU Features

MMX SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSE4a AMD-V 3DNow!
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