A6-3420M vs Athlon X2 450
A6-3420M
Athlon X2 450
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 X2 450 is on rank 760, so the Athlon X2 450 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 X2 450
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | A6-3420M | Athlon X2 450 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Kaveri (2014−2015) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | A6-3420M | Athlon X2 450 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ 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 A6-3420M and Athlon X2 450
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 X2 450
The Athlon X2 450 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Kaveri (2014−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB (total). Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 1,295 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The A6-3420M packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon X2 450 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the A6-3420M has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the A6-3420M versus 3.9 GHz on the Athlon X2 450 — a 47.6% clock advantage for the Athlon X2 450 (base: 1.5 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The A6-3420M uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon X2 450 uses Kaveri (2014−2015) (28 nm). In PassMark, the A6-3420M scores 1,310 against the Athlon X2 450's 1,295 — a 1.2% lead for the A6-3420M. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 234 vs 450, a 63.2% lead for the Athlon X2 450 that directly translates to higher frame rates.
| Feature | A6-3420M | Athlon X2 450 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz | 3.9 GHz+63% |
| Base Clock | 1.5 GHz | 3.5 GHz+133% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 1 MB (total) |
| Process | 32 nm | 28 nm-13% |
| Architecture | Llano (2011−2012) | Kaveri (2014−2015) |
| PassMark | 1,310+1% | 1,295 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 1,500 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 234 | 450+92% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 800 |
Memory & Platform
The A6-3420M uses the FS1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon X2 450 uses FM2+ (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Athlon X2 450 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes.
| Feature | A6-3420M | Athlon X2 450 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FS1 | FM2+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 16 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. The A6-3420M includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 6520G), while the Athlon X2 450 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A6-3420M targets Budget Laptop, Athlon X2 450 targets Basic Desktop. Direct competitor: A6-3420M rivals Core i3-2330M; Athlon X2 450 rivals Core i3-3220.
| Feature | A6-3420M | Athlon X2 450 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Radeon HD 6520G | None |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Budget Laptop | Basic Desktop |
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