Athlon II M340 vs Xeon L3406

Athlon II M340 vs Xeon L3406 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II M340

2 / 2

1,115

+1.0%

Mobile Athlon 64 3700+

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Xeon L3406

1,104

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 II M340 vs Xeon L3406 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 II M340 vs Xeon L3406: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon II M340

2009

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $109 less on MSRP ($80 MSRP vs $189 MSRP).
✅Delivers 138.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 13.9 vs 5.8 PassMark/$ ($80 MSRP vs $189 MSRP).
✅Draws 1W instead of 30W, a 29W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon L3406, which brings 2 cores / 4 threads.

Xeon L3406

2010

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 2 cores / 4 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,104 vs 1,115).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 5.8 vs 13.9 PassMark/$ ($189 MSRP vs $80 MSRP).
❌2900% higher power demand at 30W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II M340 better than Xeon L3406?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon L3406 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Athlon II M340 is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

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% 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 $109 cheaper on MSRP at $80 MSRP versus $189 MSRP, and it still gives you 1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon L3406 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 138.6% better value on MSRP (13.9 vs 5.8 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Xeon L3406 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II M340 vs Xeon L3406 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Xeon L3406

The Xeon L3406 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.26 GHz, with boost up to 2.53 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB Intel® Smart Cache. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 30 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066. Passmark benchmark score: 1,104 points. Launch price was $800.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon II M340 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Xeon L3406's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Athlon II M340 versus 2.53 GHz on the Xeon L3406 — a 14% clock advantage for the Xeon L3406. The Athlon II M340 is built on the Caspian (2009) architecture. In PassMark, the Athlon II M340 scores 1,115 against the Xeon L3406's 1,104 — a 1% lead for the Athlon II M340.

Feature	Athlon II M340	Xeon L3406
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz	2.53 GHz+15%
Base Clock	—	2.26 GHz
L3 Cache	—	4 MB Intel® Smart Cache
L2 Cache	1 MB	—
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Caspian (2009)	—
PassMark	1,115	1,104
Geekbench 6 Single	858	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,500	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II M340 uses the S1g3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon L3406 uses LGA1156 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II M340	Xeon L3406
Socket	S1g3	LGA1156
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-800	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II M340) / not specified (Xeon L3406). Primary use case: Athlon II M340 targets Laptop.

Feature	Athlon II M340	Xeon L3406
Integrated GPU	No	—
Unlocked	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	AMD-V	—
Target Use	Laptop	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II M340 was priced at $80, while the Xeon L3406 came in at $189. On launch pricing ($80 vs $189), Athlon II M340 was $109 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II M340 delivers 13.9 pts/$ vs 5.8 pts/$ for the Xeon L3406 — making the Athlon II M340 the 81.9% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II M340	Xeon L3406
MSRP	$80-58%	$189
Performance per Dollar	13.9+140%	5.8
Release Date	2009	2010

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