Athlon II X2 265 vs A6-3420M
Athlon II X2 265
A6-3420M
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 X2 265 is positioned at rank 884 and the A6-3420M is on rank 837, so the A6-3420M 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 X2 265
Performance Per Dollar A6-3420M
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 265 | A6-3420M |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 265 | A6-3420M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ 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 X2 265 and A6-3420M
Athlon II X2 265
The Athlon II X2 265 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,324 points. Launch price was $83.
A6-3420M
The A6-3420M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FS1. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,310 points. Launch price was $70.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X2 265 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the A6-3420M offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the A6-3420M has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Athlon II X2 265 versus 2.4 GHz on the A6-3420M — a 31.6% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 265 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Athlon II X2 265 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the A6-3420M uses Llano (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 265 scores 1,324 against the A6-3420M's 1,310 — a 1.1% lead for the Athlon II X2 265. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 275 vs 234, a 16.1% lead for the Athlon II X2 265 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 265 | A6-3420M |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.3 GHz+38% | 2.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.3 GHz+120% | 1.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1 MB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Llano (2011−2012) |
| PassMark | 1,324+1% | 1,310 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 275+18% | 234 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 520 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X2 265 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A6-3420M uses FS1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Athlon II X2 265 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X2 265) vs 16 (A6-3420M) — the A6-3420M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 265 | A6-3420M |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FS1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB+100% | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ✅ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. The A6-3420M includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 6520G), while the Athlon II X2 265 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X2 265 targets Legacy Desktop, A6-3420M targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 265 rivals Pentium E6700; A6-3420M rivals Core i3-2330M.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 265 | A6-3420M |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Radeon HD 6520G |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Legacy Desktop | Budget Laptop |
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