Athlon II X3 420e vs Core i3-540
Athlon II X3 420e
Core i3-540
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 420e is positioned at rank 906 and the Core i3-540 is on rank 970, so the Athlon II X3 420e 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 420e
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-540
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 420e | Core i3-540 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($5) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Clarkdale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 420e | Core i3-540 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+199%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($5) |
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 420e and Core i3-540
Athlon II X3 420e
The Athlon II X3 420e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 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: 1,557 points. Launch price was $116.
Core i3-540
The Core i3-540 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.06 GHz, with boost up to 0.07 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 73 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,554 points. Launch price was $45.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X3 420e packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Core i3-540 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X3 420e has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X3 420e versus 0.07 GHz on the Core i3-540 — a 189.5% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 420e (base: 2.6 GHz vs 3.06 GHz). The Athlon II X3 420e uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-540 uses Clarkdale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 420e scores 1,557 against the Core i3-540's 1,554 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon II X3 420e. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 420e vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i3-540.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 420e | Core i3-540 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3+50% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz+3614% | 0.07 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz | 3.06 GHz+18% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core)+100% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Rana (2009−2011) | Clarkdale (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,557 | 1,554 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 314 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 880 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X3 420e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-540 uses LGA1156 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 420e | Core i3-540 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | LGA1156 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X3 420e) / not specified (Core i3-540). Primary use case: Athlon II X3 420e targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X3 420e rivals Athlon II X3 415e.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 420e | Core i3-540 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Legacy Desktop | — |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II X3 420e launched at $107 MSRP, while the Core i3-540 debuted at $133. At current prices ($15 vs $5), the Core i3-540 is $10 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X3 420e delivers 103.8 pts/$ vs 310.8 pts/$ for the Core i3-540 — making the Core i3-540 the 99.9% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 420e | Core i3-540 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $107-20% | $133 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $5-67% |
| Performance per Dollar | 103.8 | 310.8+199% |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2010 |
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