Athlon 64 X2 4200+ vs Phenom II X3 N850
Athlon 64 X2 4200+
Phenom II X3 N850
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon 64 X2 4200+ is positioned at rank 1101 and the Phenom II X3 N850 is on rank 539, so the Phenom II X3 N850 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 X2 4200+
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X3 N850
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon 64 X2 4200+ | Phenom II X3 N850 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Balanced gaming performance | Balanced gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($110) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Manchester (2005−2006) / 90 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon 64 X2 4200+ | Phenom II X3 N850 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($110) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon 64 X2 4200+ and Phenom II X3 N850
Athlon 64 X2 4200+
The Athlon 64 X2 4200+ is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Dezembro 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the Manchester (2005−2006) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: 939. Thermal design power (TDP): 89 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,255 points. Launch price was $309.
Phenom II X3 N850
The Phenom II X3 N850 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: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,253 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Athlon 64 X2 4200+ packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Phenom II X3 N850 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Phenom II X3 N850 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Athlon 64 X2 4200+ versus 2.2 GHz on the Phenom II X3 N850 — identical boost frequencies. The Athlon 64 X2 4200+ uses the Manchester (2005−2006) architecture (90 nm), while the Phenom II X3 N850 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 X2 4200+ scores 1,255 against the Phenom II X3 N850's 1,253 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon 64 X2 4200+.
| Feature | Athlon 64 X2 4200+ | Phenom II X3 N850 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz | 2.2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 1.5 MB+200% |
| Process | 90 nm | 45 nm-50% |
| Architecture | Manchester (2005−2006) | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,255 | 1,253 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon 64 X2 4200+ uses the 939 socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Phenom II X3 N850 uses S1g4 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon 64 X2 4200+ | Phenom II X3 N850 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | 939 | S1g4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 1.1 | PCIe 2.0+82% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR2-800 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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