Athlon II X3 400e vs Celeron 5305U

Athlon II X3 400e vs Celeron 5305U Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 400e

3 / 3

1,320

+1.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron 5305U

2 / 2

1,307

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 X3 400e vs Celeron 5305U 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 X3 400e vs Celeron 5305U: 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 X3 400e

2009

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $100 MSRP, while Celeron 5305U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌200% higher power demand at 45W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Celeron 5305U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Celeron 5305U

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 45W, a 30W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics (Comet Lake), while Athlon II X3 400e needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,307 vs 1,320).

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron 5305U better than Athlon II X3 400e?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Celeron 5305U is ahead with a 2.3% average FPS lead across 43 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X3 400e pulls ahead with 1% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X3 400e is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 3 cores and 3 threads.

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

Celeron 5305U is still the much better call for a fresh build. Celeron 5305U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.3% average FPS lead across 43 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon II X3 400e only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2009 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (13.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on AM3.

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

Celeron 5305U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X3 400e vs Celeron 5305U Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X3 400e

The Athlon II X3 400e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,320 points. Launch price was $107.

Celeron 5305U

The Celeron 5305U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400, LPDDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 1,307 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 400e packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Celeron 5305U offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon II X3 400e has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Athlon II X3 400e versus 2.3 GHz on the Celeron 5305U — a 4.4% clock advantage for the Celeron 5305U (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Athlon II X3 400e uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron 5305U uses Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 400e scores 1,320 against the Celeron 5305U's 1,307 — a 1% lead for the Athlon II X3 400e. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 400e vs 2 MB on the Celeron 5305U.

Feature	Athlon II X3 400e	Celeron 5305U
Cores / Threads	3 / 3+50%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz	2.3 GHz+5%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	2.3 GHz+5%
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	—
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Comet Lake-U (2019−2020)
PassMark	1,320	1,307
Geekbench 6 Single	—	480
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	865

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X3 400e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron 5305U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X3 400e versus DDR4-2400 on the Celeron 5305U — the Celeron 5305U supports 80% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Celeron 5305U supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X3 400e) vs 12 (Celeron 5305U) — the Celeron 5305U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD AM3 (Athlon II X3 400e) and Comet Lake-U (Celeron 5305U).

Feature	Athlon II X3 400e	Celeron 5305U
Socket	AM3	FCBGA1528
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR4-2400+80%
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	64 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	12

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II X3 400e) / VT-x, VT-d (Celeron 5305U). The Celeron 5305U includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics (Comet Lake)), while the Athlon II X3 400e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron 5305U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron 5305U rivals Pentium Gold 6405U.