A9-9420e vs Athlon II M340

A9-9420e vs Athlon II M340 Performance Spectrum

A9-9420e

2 / 2

1,101

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Athlon II M340

2 / 2

1,115

+1.3%

Mobile Athlon 64 3700+

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

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.

A9-9420e vs Athlon II M340 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.

A9-9420e vs Athlon II M340: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

A9-9420e

2018

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R5 Graphics, while Athlon II M340 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,101 vs 1,115).

Athlon II M340

2009

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $80 MSRP, while A9-9420e mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while A9-9420e can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II M340 better than A9-9420e?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, A9-9420e is ahead with 13.6% higher max boost clock. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II M340 pulls ahead with 1.3% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II M340 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon II M340 is the better buy right now. Athlon II M340 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $80 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 1.3% better PassMark. The compromise is that A9-9420e is still the better pure gaming CPU with 13.6% higher max boost clock. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (13.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

A9-9420e makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

A9-9420e vs Athlon II M340 Technical Specifications

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

A9-9420e

The A9-9420e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 June 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.5 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: BGA. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,101 points. Launch price was $69.

Athlon II M340

The Athlon II M340 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Caspian (2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g3. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,115 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the A9-9420e and Athlon II M340 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the A9-9420e versus 2.2 GHz on the Athlon II M340 — a 12.8% clock advantage for the A9-9420e. The A9-9420e uses the Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Athlon II M340 uses Caspian (2009) (45 nm). In PassMark, the A9-9420e scores 1,101 against the Athlon II M340's 1,115 — a 1.3% lead for the Athlon II M340.

Feature	A9-9420e	Athlon II M340
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz+14%	2.2 GHz
L2 Cache	1 MB	1 MB
Process	28 nm-38%	45 nm
Architecture	Stoney Ridge (2016−2019)	Caspian (2009)
PassMark	1,101	1,115+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	858
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,500

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Memory & Platform

The A9-9420e uses the BGA socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II M340 uses S1g3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 2133 on the A9-9420e versus DDR2-800 on the Athlon II M340 — the A9-9420e supports 166.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The A9-9420e supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (A9-9420e) vs 2 (Athlon II M340). PCIe lanes: 4 (A9-9420e) vs 0 (Athlon II M340) — the A9-9420e offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: FT4,FP4 (A9-9420e) and RS880M (Athlon II M340).

Feature	A9-9420e	Athlon II M340
Socket	BGA	S1g3
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	2133+167%	DDR2-800
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB+100%	8 GB
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	4	0

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (A9-9420e) vs AMD-V (Athlon II M340). The A9-9420e includes integrated graphics (Radeon R5 Graphics), while the Athlon II M340 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II M340 targets Laptop. Direct competitor: A9-9420e rivals Pentium N4200.