Athlon II X3 400e vs Celeron M 743

Athlon II X3 400e vs Celeron M 743 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 400e

3 / 3

1,320

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron M 743

1 / 1

1,324

+0.3%

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 M 743 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 M 743: 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

✅Costs $7 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $107 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,320 vs 1,324).
❌4400% higher power demand at 45W vs 1W.

Celeron M 743

2009

Why buy it

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 1W instead of 45W, a 44W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌
7% HIGHER MSRP
$107 MSRPvs$100 MSRP

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron M 743 better than Athlon II X3 400e?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X3 400e is ahead with a 0.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Celeron M 743 pulls ahead with 0.3% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Celeron M 743 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.

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

Celeron M 743 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Celeron M 743 comes in 7.0% more expensive on MSRP at $107 MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.3% better PassMark. Athlon II X3 400e only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2009 platform. Even with 6.7% better value on paper (13.2 vs 12.4 PassMark/$), 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 M 743 is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more room to grow and a better platform outlook.

Athlon II X3 400e vs Celeron M 743 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 M 743

The Celeron M 743 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 1.3 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: BGA965. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,324 points. Launch price was $107.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 400e packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Celeron M 743 offers 1 cores / 1 threads — the Athlon II X3 400e has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Athlon II X3 400e versus 1.3 GHz on the Celeron M 743 — a 51.4% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 400e. The Athlon II X3 400e uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron M 743 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 400e scores 1,320 against the Celeron M 743's 1,324 — a 0.3% lead for the Celeron M 743.

Feature	Athlon II X3 400e	Celeron M 743
Cores / Threads	3 / 3+200%	1 / 1
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz+69%	1.3 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	—
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	1 MB+100%
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark	1,320	1,324

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X3 400e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron M 743 uses BGA965 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II X3 400e	Celeron M 743
Socket	AM3	BGA965
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X3 400e was priced at $100, while the Celeron M 743 came in at $107. On launch pricing ($100 vs $107), Athlon II X3 400e was $7 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X3 400e delivers 13.2 pts/$ vs 12.4 pts/$ for the Celeron M 743 — making the Athlon II X3 400e the 6.5% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X3 400e	Celeron M 743
MSRP	$100-7%	$107
Performance per Dollar	13.2+6%	12.4
Release Date	2009	2009

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