Athlon 64 3600+ vs Celeron U3400

Athlon 64 3600+ vs Celeron U3400 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 3600+

1 / 1

595

+3.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron U3400

2 / 2

575

0.0%

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 64 3600+ vs Celeron U3400 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 64 3600+ vs Celeron U3400: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon 64 3600+

2004

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 4.0 vs 6.7 PassMark/$ ($149 MSRP vs $86 MSRP).
❌394.4% higher power demand at 89W vs 18W.

Celeron U3400

2010

Why buy it

✅Costs $63 less on MSRP ($86 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
✅Delivers 67.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 6.7 vs 4.0 PassMark/$ ($86 MSRP vs $149 MSRP).
✅Draws 18W instead of 89W, a 71W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon 64 3600+ across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (575 vs 595).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 64 3600+ better than Celeron U3400?

Yes. Athlon 64 3600+ is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 8.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 3.5% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon 64 3600+ is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 8.9% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 64 3600+ is the stronger fit. You are getting 3.5% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.

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

Athlon 64 3600+ is the easy recommendation for a fresh desktop build. Athlon 64 3600+ comes in 73.3% more expensive on MSRP at $149 MSRP versus $86 MSRP, and it still gives you a 8.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Celeron U3400 only looks good on raw value math because it is a cheap legacy laptop chip, not because it is a real desktop gaming recommendation. It simply does not keep up in modern games, especially when the gap is already 8.9% in the shared gaming data.

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

Celeron U3400 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2004). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon 64 3600+ vs Celeron U3400 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon 64 3600+

The Athlon 64 3600+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Clawhammer (2001−2005) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.4 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 130 nm process technology. Socket: 754. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Memory support: DDR1. Passmark benchmark score: 595 points. Launch price was $149.

Celeron U3400

The Celeron U3400 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Westmere (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.06 GHz, with boost up to 0.07 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800. Passmark benchmark score: 575 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon 64 3600+ packs 1 cores / 1 threads, while the Celeron U3400 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Celeron U3400 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Athlon 64 3600+ versus 0.07 GHz on the Celeron U3400 — a 188.7% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 3600+. The Athlon 64 3600+ uses the Clawhammer (2001−2005) architecture (130 nm), while the Celeron U3400 uses Westmere (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 3600+ scores 595 against the Celeron U3400's 575 — a 3.4% lead for the Athlon 64 3600+.

Feature	Athlon 64 3600+	Celeron U3400
Cores / Threads	1 / 1	2 / 2+100%
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz+3329%	0.07 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.06 GHz
L3 Cache	—	2 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB+100%	512 kB
Process	130 nm	32 nm-75%
Architecture	Clawhammer (2001−2005)	Westmere (2010−2011)
PassMark	595+3%	575

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon 64 3600+ uses the 754 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Celeron U3400 uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon 64 3600+	Celeron U3400
Socket	754	BGA1288
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-800	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 64 3600+ was priced at $149, while the Celeron U3400 came in at $86. On launch pricing ($149 vs $86), Celeron U3400 was $63 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 3600+ delivers 4.0 pts/$ vs 6.7 pts/$ for the Celeron U3400 — making the Celeron U3400 the 50.4% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 64 3600+	Celeron U3400
MSRP	$149	$86-42%
Performance per Dollar	4.0	6.7+68%
Release Date	2004	2010

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