Athlon II X3 420e vs Core i5-4200Y
Athlon II X3 420e
Core i5-4200Y
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 i5-4200Y is on rank 211, so the Core i5-4200Y 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 i5-4200Y
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 420e | Core i5-4200Y |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 420e | Core i5-4200Y |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 i5-4200Y
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 i5-4200Y
The Core i5-4200Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 1.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 11.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,558 points. Launch price was $297.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X3 420e packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Core i5-4200Y 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 1.9 GHz on the Core i5-4200Y — a 31.1% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 420e (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). The Athlon II X3 420e uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-4200Y uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 420e scores 1,557 against the Core i5-4200Y's 1,558 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i5-4200Y. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 314 vs 574, a 58.6% lead for the Core i5-4200Y that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 420e vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-4200Y.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 420e | Core i5-4200Y |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3+50% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz+37% | 1.9 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz+86% | 1.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core)+100% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Rana (2009−2011) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 1,557 | 1,558 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 314 | 574+83% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 880 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X3 420e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-4200Y uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Athlon II X3 420e) vs 12 (Core i5-4200Y) — the Athlon II X3 420e offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: 760G,785G,880G (Athlon II X3 420e) and HM86,HM87,QM87 (Core i5-4200Y).
| Feature | Athlon II X3 420e | Core i5-4200Y |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+33% | 12 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X3 420e) vs VT-x, EPT (Core i5-4200Y). The Core i5-4200Y includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4200), while the Athlon II X3 420e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X3 420e targets Legacy Desktop, Core i5-4200Y targets Tablet/2-in-1. Direct competitor: Athlon II X3 420e rivals Athlon II X3 415e; Core i5-4200Y rivals A4-5150M.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 420e | Core i5-4200Y |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics 4200 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | VT-x, EPT |
| Target Use | Legacy Desktop | Tablet/2-in-1 |
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