Athlon II X3 405e vs Athlon X2 340
Athlon II X3 405e
Athlon X2 340
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 X3 405e is positioned at rank 935 and the Athlon X2 340 is on rank 462, so the Athlon X2 340 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 X3 405e
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X2 340
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 405e | Athlon X2 340 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Trinity (2012−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 405e | Athlon X2 340 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+50%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($10) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
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 X3 405e and Athlon X2 340
Athlon II X3 405e
The Athlon II X3 405e 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 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 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: 1,331 points. Launch price was $80.
Athlon X2 340
The Athlon X2 340 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,333 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X3 405e packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Athlon X2 340 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon II X3 405e has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Athlon II X3 405e versus 3.6 GHz on the Athlon X2 340 — a 44.1% clock advantage for the Athlon X2 340 (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Athlon II X3 405e uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon X2 340 uses Trinity (2012−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 405e scores 1,331 against the Athlon X2 340's 1,333 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon X2 340.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 405e | Athlon X2 340 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3+50% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.3 GHz | 3.6 GHz+57% |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz | 3.2 GHz+39% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 1 MB (total)+100% |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Rana (2009−2011) | Trinity (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,331 | 1,333 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 397 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 549 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X3 405e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon X2 340 uses FM2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X3 405e) vs 16 (Athlon X2 340) — the Athlon X2 340 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD AM3 (Athlon II X3 405e) and A55,A75,A85X,A88X (Athlon X2 340).
| Feature | Athlon II X3 405e | Athlon X2 340 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FM2 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II X3 405e) / AMD-V (Athlon X2 340). Primary use case: Athlon X2 340 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 405e | Athlon X2 340 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Desktop |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II X3 405e launched at $100 MSRP, while the Athlon X2 340 debuted at $30. At current prices ($10 vs $15), the Athlon II X3 405e is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X3 405e delivers 133.1 pts/$ vs 88.9 pts/$ for the Athlon X2 340 — making the Athlon II X3 405e the 39.9% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 405e | Athlon X2 340 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $100 | $30-70% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $10-33% | $15 |
| Performance per Dollar | 133.1+50% | 88.9 |
| Release Date | 2009 | 2012 |
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