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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

A8-4555M

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 19W instead of 65W, a 46W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon HD 7600G, while Athlon X2 340 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon X2 340.

Athlon X2 340

2012

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (AMD Stock), unlike A8-4555M.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than A8-4555M across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,333 vs 1,341).
❌Launch MSRP is still $30 MSRP, while A8-4555M mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌242.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 19W.
❌No integrated graphics, while A8-4555M can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

A8-4555M

2012

Athlon X2 340

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.0% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 19W instead of 65W, a 46W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon HD 7600G, while Athlon X2 340 needs a discrete GPU.

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (AMD Stock), unlike A8-4555M.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon X2 340.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than A8-4555M across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,333 vs 1,341).
❌Launch MSRP is still $30 MSRP, while A8-4555M mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌242.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 19W.
❌No integrated graphics, while A8-4555M can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is A8-4555M better than Athlon X2 340?

Yes. A8-4555M is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 3.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.6% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, A8-4555M is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 3.0% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, A8-4555M is the better fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

A8-4555M is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. A8-4555M is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $30 MSRP, and it gives you a 3.0% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon X2 340 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2012 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (44.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on FM2.

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

A8-4555M is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

A8-4555M Benchmark Check

Athlon X2 340 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	A8-4555M	Athlon X2 340
1080p
low	34 FPS	33 FPS
medium	34 FPS	33 FPS
high	34 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	33 FPS
1440p
low	34 FPS	33 FPS
medium	34 FPS	33 FPS
high	34 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	33 FPS
4K
low	34 FPS	33 FPS
medium	34 FPS	33 FPS
high	34 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	33 FPS

Open A8-4555M Open Athlon X2 340

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	A8-4555M	Athlon X2 340
1080p
low	34 FPS	33 FPS
medium	34 FPS	33 FPS
high	34 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	33 FPS
1440p
low	34 FPS	33 FPS
medium	34 FPS	33 FPS
high	34 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	33 FPS
4K
low	34 FPS	33 FPS
medium	34 FPS	33 FPS
high	34 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	28 FPS

Open A8-4555M Open Athlon X2 340

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	A8-4555M	Athlon X2 340
1080p
low	34 FPS	33 FPS
medium	34 FPS	33 FPS
high	34 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	33 FPS
1440p
low	34 FPS	33 FPS
medium	34 FPS	33 FPS
high	34 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	33 FPS
4K
low	34 FPS	33 FPS
medium	34 FPS	33 FPS
high	34 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	33 FPS

Open A8-4555M Open Athlon X2 340

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	A8-4555M	Athlon X2 340
1080p
low	34 FPS	33 FPS
medium	34 FPS	33 FPS
high	34 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	33 FPS
1440p
low	34 FPS	33 FPS
medium	34 FPS	33 FPS
high	34 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	33 FPS
4K
low	34 FPS	33 FPS
medium	34 FPS	33 FPS
high	34 FPS	33 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	33 FPS

Open A8-4555M Open Athlon X2 340

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of A8-4555M and Athlon X2 340

A8-4555M

The A8-4555M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FP2. Thermal design power (TDP): 19 Watt. Memory support: unknown Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 1,341 points. Launch price was $90.

Athlon X2 340

The Athlon X2 340 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,333 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The A8-4555M packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon X2 340 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the A8-4555M has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the A8-4555M versus 3.6 GHz on the Athlon X2 340 — a 40% clock advantage for the Athlon X2 340 (base: 1.6 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). Both are built on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture using a 32 nm process. In PassMark, the A8-4555M scores 1,341 against the Athlon X2 340's 1,333 — a 0.6% lead for the A8-4555M.

Feature	A8-4555M	Athlon X2 340
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz	3.6 GHz+50%
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	3.2 GHz+100%
L3 Cache	0 kB	—
L2 Cache	4 MB (total)+300%	1 MB (total)
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Trinity (2012−2013)	Trinity (2012−2013)
PassMark	1,341	1,333
Geekbench 6 Single	—	397
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	549

🧠

Memory & Platform

The A8-4555M uses the FP2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon X2 340 uses FM2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1333 on the A8-4555M versus DDR3-1600 on the Athlon X2 340 — the A8-4555M supports 199.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon X2 340 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: FP2 (A8-4555M) and A55,A75,A85X,A88X (Athlon X2 340).

Feature	A8-4555M	Athlon X2 340
Socket	FP2	FM2
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1333+44333%	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	16	32 GB+209715100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (A8-4555M) vs AMD-V (Athlon X2 340). The A8-4555M includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 7600G), while the Athlon X2 340 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon X2 340 targets Desktop. Direct competitor: A8-4555M rivals Core i3-2367M.