Athlon 220GE vs Phenom II X3 P840

AMD

Athlon 220GE

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2018
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Phenom II X3 P840

3 Cores3 Thrd1.5 WWMax: 1.9 GHz2010
Similar parts
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Athlon 220GE vs Phenom II X3 P840 Performance Spectrum

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.

Athlon 220GE vs Phenom II X3 P840 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.

Athlon 220GE vs Phenom II X3 P840: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon 220GE

2018

Why buy it

  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon Vega 3, while Phenom II X3 P840 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $65 MSRP, while Phenom II X3 P840 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 2233.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 1.5W.

Phenom II X3 P840

2010

Why buy it

  • Draws 2W instead of 35W, a 34W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (4,425 vs 4,441).
  • No integrated graphics, while Athlon 220GE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 220GE better than Phenom II X3 P840?
Yes. Athlon 220GE is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.8% average FPS lead across 30 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.4% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Athlon 220GE is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.8% more average FPS across 30 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 220GE is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Athlon 220GE is the better buy right now. Athlon 220GE comes in at an unclear MSRP at $65 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.8% average FPS lead across 30 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (68.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Athlon 220GE makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 3/3. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon 220GE vs Phenom II X3 P840 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon 220GE

The Athlon 220GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 June 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 4,441 points. Launch price was $65.

AMD

Phenom II X3 P840

The Phenom II X3 P840 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 1.9 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,425 points. Launch price was $149.

Processing Power

The Athlon 220GE packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X3 P840 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom II X3 P840 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Athlon 220GE versus 1.9 GHz on the Phenom II X3 P840 — a 56.6% clock advantage for the Athlon 220GE. The Athlon 220GE uses the Zen (2017−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X3 P840 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 220GE scores 4,441 against the Phenom II X3 P840's 4,425 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon 220GE.

FeatureAthlon 220GEPhenom II X3 P840
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
3 / 3+50%
Boost Clock
3.4 GHz+79%
1.9 GHz
Base Clock
3.4 GHz
L3 Cache
4 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512K (per core)+34033%
1.5 MB
Process
14 nm-69%
45 nm
Architecture
Zen (2017−2020)
Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark
4,441
4,425
Geekbench 6 Single
886
Geekbench 6 Multi
2,023
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Memory & Platform

The Athlon 220GE uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X3 P840 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureAthlon 220GEPhenom II X3 P840
Socket
AM4
S1
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0+50%
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2667
Max RAM Capacity
64 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
No
PCIe Lanes
8
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon 220GE) / not specified (Phenom II X3 P840). The Athlon 220GE includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 3), while the Phenom II X3 P840 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon 220GE targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon 220GE rivals Pentium Gold G5400.

FeatureAthlon 220GEPhenom II X3 P840
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Radeon Vega 3
Unlocked
Yes
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Desktop