Athlon II X3 415e vs Pentium G860

Athlon II X3 415e vs Pentium G860 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 415e

3 / 3

1,481

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium G860

2 / 2

1,485

+0.3%

Celeron J1800

Pentium Dual-Core E2200

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 Pentium G860 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 Pentium G860: 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

✅Costs $11 less on MSRP ($75 MSRP vs $86 MSRP).
✅Delivers 14.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 19.7 vs 17.3 PassMark/$ ($75 MSRP vs $86 MSRP).
✅Draws 45W instead of 256W, a 211W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,481 vs 1,485).
❌No integrated graphics, while Pentium G860 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Pentium G860

2011

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics, while Athlon II X3 415e needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 17.3 vs 19.7 PassMark/$ ($86 MSRP vs $75 MSRP).
❌468.9% higher power demand at 256W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium G860 better than Athlon II X3 415e?

Yes. Pentium G860 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.3% 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, Pentium G860 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.3% 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, Pentium G860 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium G860 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium G860 comes in 14.7% more expensive on MSRP at $86 MSRP versus $75 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon II X3 415e only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 14.4% better value on paper (19.7 vs 17.3 PassMark/$), 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?

Pentium G860 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2011 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 Pentium G860 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.

Pentium G860

The Pentium G860 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,485 points. Launch price was $75.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 415e packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Pentium G860 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 3 GHz on the Pentium G860 — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Pentium G860 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Athlon II X3 415e uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium G860 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 415e scores 1,481 against the Pentium G860's 1,485 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium G860. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 415e vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G860.

Feature	Athlon II X3 415e	Pentium G860
Cores / Threads	3 / 3+50%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz	3 GHz+20%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3 GHz+20%
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,481	1,485

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X3 415e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium G860 uses LGA1155 (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 415e) vs 16 (Pentium G860) — the Pentium G860 offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Athlon II X3 415e	Pentium G860
Socket	AM3	LGA1155
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR3-1333
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 415e) / VT-x (Pentium G860). The Pentium G860 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics), while the Athlon II X3 415e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium G860 targets Desktop.

Feature	Athlon II X3 415e	Pentium G860
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	HD Graphics
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x
Target Use	—	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X3 415e was priced at $75, while the Pentium G860 came in at $86. On launch pricing ($75 vs $86), Athlon II X3 415e was $11 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X3 415e delivers 19.7 pts/$ vs 17.3 pts/$ for the Pentium G860 — making the Athlon II X3 415e the 13.4% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X3 415e	Pentium G860
MSRP	$75-13%	$86
Performance per Dollar	19.7+14%	17.3
Release Date	2010	2011

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