A6-3420M vs Athlon II X3 400e
A6-3420M
Athlon II X3 400e
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 A6-3420M is positioned at rank 837 and the Athlon II X3 400e is on rank 938, so the A6-3420M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar A6-3420M
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X3 400e
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | A6-3420M | Athlon II X3 400e |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | A6-3420M | Athlon II X3 400e |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) |
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 A6-3420M and Athlon II X3 400e
A6-3420M
The A6-3420M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FS1. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,310 points. Launch price was $70.
Athlon II X3 400e
The Athlon II X3 400e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,320 points. Launch price was $107.
Processing Power
The A6-3420M packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon II X3 400e offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the A6-3420M has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the A6-3420M versus 2.2 GHz on the Athlon II X3 400e — a 8.7% clock advantage for the A6-3420M (base: 1.5 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The A6-3420M uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II X3 400e uses Rana (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the A6-3420M scores 1,310 against the Athlon II X3 400e's 1,320 — a 0.8% lead for the Athlon II X3 400e. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | A6-3420M | Athlon II X3 400e |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+33% | 3 / 3 |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz+9% | 2.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.5 GHz | 2.2 GHz+47% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core)+100% | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Llano (2011−2012) | Rana (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,310 | 1,320 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 234 | — |
Memory & Platform
The A6-3420M uses the FS1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X3 400e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Athlon II X3 400e supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (A6-3420M) vs 0 (Athlon II X3 400e) — the A6-3420M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | A6-3420M | Athlon II X3 400e |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FS1 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 32 GB+300% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (A6-3420M) / not specified (Athlon II X3 400e). The A6-3420M includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 6520G), while the Athlon II X3 400e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A6-3420M targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: A6-3420M rivals Core i3-2330M.
| Feature | A6-3420M | Athlon II X3 400e |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Radeon HD 6520G | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Budget Laptop | — |
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