Athlon II X2 280 vs Core i3-4010Y

Athlon II X2 280 vs Core i3-4010Y Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X2 280

2 / 2

1,355

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i3-4010Y

2 / 4

1,358

+0.2%

Celeron 867

Celeron P4500

Celeron Dual-Core T1700

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 X2 280 vs Core i3-4010Y 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 X2 280 vs Core i3-4010Y: 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 X2 280

2013

Why buy it

✅Draws 65W instead of 512W, a 447W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Core i3-4010Y.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,355 vs 1,358).
❌Launch MSRP is still $50 MSRP, while Core i3-4010Y mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-4010Y can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i3-4010Y

2013

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 4200, while Athlon II X2 280 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌687.7% higher power demand at 512W vs 65W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X2 280.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X2 280 better than Core i3-4010Y?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X2 280 is ahead with a 2.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-4010Y pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-4010Y is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon II X2 280 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X2 280 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $50 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Core i3-4010Y is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.2% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (27.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i3-4010Y makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 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 X2 280 vs Core i3-4010Y Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X2 280

The Athlon II X2 280 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 6 February 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 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: 1,355 points. Launch price was $100.

Core i3-4010Y

The Core i3-4010Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 1.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 11.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,358 points. Launch price was $297.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X2 280 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i3-4010Y's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Athlon II X2 280 versus 1.3 GHz on the Core i3-4010Y — a 93.9% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 280 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 1.3 GHz). The Athlon II X2 280 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-4010Y uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 280 scores 1,355 against the Core i3-4010Y's 1,358 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i3-4010Y. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X2 280 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-4010Y.

Feature	Athlon II X2 280	Core i3-4010Y
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz+177%	1.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz+177%	1.3 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB	256K (per core)+25500%
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Regor (2009−2013)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,355	1,358
Geekbench 6 Single	290	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	550	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X2 280 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-4010Y uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X2 280 versus DDR3L-1600 on the Core i3-4010Y — the Core i3-4010Y supports 20% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X2 280) vs 12 (Core i3-4010Y) — the Core i3-4010Y offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Athlon II X2 280	Core i3-4010Y
Socket	AM3	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR3L-1600+20%
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	0	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X2 280) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-4010Y). The Core i3-4010Y includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4200), while the Athlon II X2 280 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X2 280 targets Legacy Desktop, Core i3-4010Y targets Mobile. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 280 rivals Pentium E6700.