A6-9500E vs Athlon II X3 440

A6-9500E vs Athlon II X3 440 Performance Spectrum

A6-9500E

2 / 2

1,741

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Athlon II X3 440

3 / 3

1,743

+0.1%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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.

A6-9500E vs Athlon II X3 440 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

A6-9500E vs Athlon II X3 440: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

A6-9500E

2017

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 95W, a 60W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon R5, while Athlon II X3 440 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,741 vs 1,743).

Athlon II X3 440

2010

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $75 MSRP, while A6-9500E mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌171.4% higher power demand at 95W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while A6-9500E can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is A6-9500E better than Athlon II X3 440?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, A6-9500E is ahead with a 1.1% average FPS lead across 8 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X3 440 pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X3 440 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 3 cores and 3 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

A6-9500E is still the much better call for a fresh build. A6-9500E comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $75 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.1% average FPS lead across 8 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon II X3 440 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (23.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on AM3.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

A6-9500E makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

A6-9500E vs Athlon II X3 440 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

A6-9500E

The A6-9500E is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1024 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 1,741 points. Launch price was $70.

Athlon II X3 440

The Athlon II X3 440 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,743 points. Launch price was $47.

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Processing Power

The A6-9500E packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Athlon II X3 440 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Athlon II X3 440 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the A6-9500E versus 3 GHz on the Athlon II X3 440 — a 12.5% clock advantage for the A6-9500E (base: 3 GHz vs 3 GHz). The A6-9500E uses the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Athlon II X3 440 uses Rana (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the A6-9500E scores 1,741 against the Athlon II X3 440's 1,743 — a 0.1% lead for the Athlon II X3 440. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	A6-9500E	Athlon II X3 440
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	3 / 3+50%
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz+13%	3 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz	3 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	1024 kB+100%	512 kB (per core)
Process	28 nm-38%	45 nm
Architecture	Bristol Ridge (2016−2019)	Rana (2009−2011)
PassMark	1,741	1,743

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Memory & Platform

The A6-9500E uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II X3 440 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2400 on the A6-9500E versus DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X3 440 — the A6-9500E supports 80% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (A6-9500E) vs 0 (Athlon II X3 440) — the A6-9500E offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD AM4 (A6-9500E) and AMD AM3 (Athlon II X3 440).