Athlon II P360 vs Core i3-4120U

Athlon II P360 vs Core i3-4120U Performance Spectrum

Athlon II P360

2 / 2

1,946

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i3-4120U

2 / 4

1,948

+0.1%

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 P360 vs Core i3-4120U 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 P360 vs Core i3-4120U: 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 P360

2010

Why buy it

✅Draws 1W instead of 512W, a 511W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,946 vs 1,948).
❌Launch MSRP is still $60 MSRP, while Core i3-4120U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-4120U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i3-4120U

2014

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics 4400, while Athlon II P360 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌51100% higher power demand at 512W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II P360 better than Core i3-4120U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II P360 is ahead with a 2.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-4120U pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-4120U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon II P360 is the better buy right now. Athlon II P360 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $60 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Core i3-4120U is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.1% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (32.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core i3-4120U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon II P360 vs Core i3-4120U Technical Specifications

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

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.

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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

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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 Core i3-4120U supports 50.1% 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 GB — 100% 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	DDR3L-1600+50%
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	16 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
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.