Athlon II X3 400e vs Pentium E5200

Athlon II X3 400e vs Pentium E5200 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 400e

3 / 3

1,320

+0.4%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium E5200

2 / 2

1,315

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 Pentium E5200 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 Pentium E5200: 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

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.2 vs 15.7 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $84 MSRP).

Pentium E5200

2008

Why buy it

✅Costs $16 less on MSRP ($84 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
✅Delivers 18.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 15.7 vs 13.2 PassMark/$ ($84 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,315 vs 1,320).
❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X3 400e better than Pentium E5200?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium E5200 is ahead with a 0.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X3 400e pulls ahead with 0.4% 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 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 3 cores and 3 threads.

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

Athlon II X3 400e is still the much better call for a fresh build. Athlon II X3 400e comes in 19.0% more expensive on MSRP at $100 MSRP versus $84 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.4% better PassMark. Pentium E5200 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2008 platform. Even with 18.6% better value on paper (15.7 vs 13.2 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA775.

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

Athlon II X3 400e makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2009 vs 2008) and more multi-core headroom with 3 cores / 3 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 X3 400e vs Pentium E5200 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.

Pentium E5200

The Pentium E5200 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Agosto 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,315 points. Launch price was $99.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 400e packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Pentium E5200 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 2.5 GHz on the Pentium E5200 — a 12.8% clock advantage for the Pentium E5200 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Athlon II X3 400e uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium E5200 uses Wolfdale (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 400e scores 1,320 against the Pentium E5200's 1,315 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon II X3 400e. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon II X3 400e	Pentium E5200
Cores / Threads	3 / 3+50%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz	2.5 GHz+14%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	2.5 GHz+14%
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	2 MB (total)+300%
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Wolfdale (2008−2010)
PassMark	1,320	1,315

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X3 400e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium E5200 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II X3 400e	Pentium E5200
Socket	AM3	LGA775
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 Pentium E5200 came in at $84. On launch pricing ($100 vs $84), Pentium E5200 was $16 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X3 400e delivers 13.2 pts/$ vs 15.7 pts/$ for the Pentium E5200 — making the Pentium E5200 the 17% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X3 400e	Pentium E5200
MSRP	$100	$84-16%
Performance per Dollar	13.2	15.7+19%
Release Date	2009	2008

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