CPU
GPU
Athlon II P360
Core i3-4120U
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 II P360 is positioned at rank 662 and the Core i3-4120U is on rank 129, so the Core i3-4120U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II P360
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-4120U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II P360 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II P360 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) | ✅ 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 II P360 and Core i3-4120U
Athlon II P360
The Athlon II P360 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,946 points. Launch price was $149.
Core i3-4120U
The Core i3-4120U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,948 points. Launch price was $281.
Processing Power
The Athlon II P360 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i3-4120U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Athlon II P360 versus 2 GHz on the Core i3-4120U — a 14% clock advantage for the Athlon II P360. The Athlon II P360 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-4120U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II P360 scores 1,946 against the Core i3-4120U's 1,948 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i3-4120U.
| Feature | Athlon II P360 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.3 GHz+15% | 2 GHz |
| Base Clock | — | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 3 MB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB+100% | 512 kB |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Champlain (2010−2011) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 1,946 | 1,948 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 462 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,071 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II P360 uses the S1g4 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-4120U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1066 on the Athlon II P360 versus DDR3L-1600 on the Core i3-4120U — the Athlon II P360 supports 198.9% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i3-4120U supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II P360) vs 12 (Core i3-4120U) — the Core i3-4120U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: S1g4 (Athlon II P360) and HM86,HM87 (Core i3-4120U).
| Feature | Athlon II P360 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1g4 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | 1066+35433% | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 | 16 GB+209715100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 12 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization support: true (Athlon II P360) vs Yes (Core i3-4120U). The Core i3-4120U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4400), while the Athlon II P360 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Athlon II P360 rivals Pentium P6000.
| Feature | Athlon II P360 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | None | Intel HD Graphics 4400 |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | true | Yes |
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