Athlon II X3 405e vs Athlon X2 340

Athlon II X3 405e vs Athlon X2 340 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 405e

3 / 3

1,331

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Athlon X2 340

2 / 2

1,333

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 405e vs Athlon X2 340 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 405e vs Athlon X2 340: 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 405e

2009

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 65W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,331 vs 1,333).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 13.3 vs 44.4 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $30 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon X2 340.

Athlon X2 340

2012

Why buy it

✅Costs $70 less on MSRP ($30 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
✅Delivers 233.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 44.4 vs 13.3 PassMark/$ ($30 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (AMD Stock), unlike Athlon II X3 405e.

Trade-offs

❌44.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon X2 340 better than Athlon II X3 405e?

Yes. Athlon X2 340 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon X2 340 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.6% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon X2 340 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Athlon X2 340 is the better buy right now. Athlon X2 340 comes in $70 cheaper on MSRP at $30 MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 233.8% better value on MSRP (44.4 vs 13.3 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Athlon X2 340 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 3/3. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon II X3 405e vs Athlon X2 340 Technical Specifications

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

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. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X3 405e versus DDR3-1600 on the Athlon X2 340 — the Athlon X2 340 supports 20% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. 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+20%
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
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

At launch, the Athlon II X3 405e was priced at $100, while the Athlon X2 340 came in at $30. On launch pricing ($100 vs $30), Athlon X2 340 was $70 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X3 405e delivers 13.3 pts/$ vs 44.4 pts/$ for the Athlon X2 340 — making the Athlon X2 340 the 107.8% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X3 405e	Athlon X2 340
MSRP	$100	$30-70%
Performance per Dollar	13.3	44.4+234%
Release Date	2009	2012

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