Athlon II X3 415e vs C-70

Athlon II X3 415e vs C-70 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 415e

3 / 3

1,481

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

C-70

2 / 2

1,495

+0.9%

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 415e vs C-70 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 415e vs C-70: 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 415e

2010

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,481 vs 1,495).
❌Launch MSRP is still $75 MSRP, while C-70 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌400% higher power demand at 45W vs 9W.
❌No integrated graphics, while C-70 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

C-70

2012

Why buy it

✅+0.9% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 9W instead of 45W, a 36W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon HD 7290, while Athlon II X3 415e needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is C-70 better than Athlon II X3 415e?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X3 415e is ahead with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, C-70 pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, C-70 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

C-70 is still the much better call for a fresh build. C-70 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $75 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.9% better PassMark. Athlon II X3 415e only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (19.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

C-70 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2010) 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 415e vs C-70 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X3 415e

The Athlon II X3 415e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 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: 1,481 points. Launch price was $75.

C-70

The C-70 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ontario (2011−2012) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1 GHz, with boost up to 1.33 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 40 nm process technology. Socket: FT1. Thermal design power (TDP): 9 Watt. Memory support: DDR3 Single-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 1,495 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 415e packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the C-70 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon II X3 415e has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Athlon II X3 415e versus 1.33 GHz on the C-70 — a 61.1% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 415e (base: 2.5 GHz vs 1 GHz). The Athlon II X3 415e uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the C-70 uses Ontario (2011−2012) (40 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 415e scores 1,481 against the C-70's 1,495 — a 0.9% lead for the C-70. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon II X3 415e	C-70
Cores / Threads	3 / 3+50%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz+88%	1.33 GHz
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+150%	1 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	45 nm	40 nm-11%
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Ontario (2011−2012)
PassMark	1,481	1,495

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X3 415e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the C-70 uses FT1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X3 415e versus DDR3-1066 on the C-70 — the Athlon II X3 415e supports 25% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X3 415e supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 4 GB — 700% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Athlon II X3 415e) vs 1 (C-70). PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X3 415e) vs 4 (C-70) — the C-70 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD AM3 (Athlon II X3 415e) and AMD BGA413 (C-70).

Feature	Athlon II X3 415e	C-70
Socket	AM3	FT1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333+25%	DDR3-1066
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB+700%	4 GB
RAM Channels	2+100%	1
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	4