Athlon II X3 420e vs Phenom II X3 P820

Athlon II X3 420e vs Phenom II X3 P820 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 420e

3 / 3

1,557

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Phenom II X3 P820

3 / 3

1,560

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

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 420e vs Phenom II X3 P820 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 420e vs Phenom II X3 P820: 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 420e

2010

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Phenom II X3 P820.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,557 vs 1,560).
❌Launch MSRP is still $107 MSRP, while Phenom II X3 P820 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌2900% higher power demand at 45W vs 1.5W.

Phenom II X3 P820

2010

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 2W instead of 45W, a 44W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X3 420e.

Quick Answers

So, is Phenom II X3 P820 better than Athlon II X3 420e?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X3 420e is ahead with a 0.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X3 P820 pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X3 P820 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 3 cores and 3 threads.

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

Phenom II X3 P820 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Phenom II X3 P820 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $107 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. Athlon II X3 420e only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (14.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Phenom II X3 P820 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 3 cores / 3 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 420e vs Phenom II X3 P820 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Phenom II X3 P820

The Phenom II X3 P820 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 1.8 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,560 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon II X3 420e and Phenom II X3 P820 share an identical 3-core/3-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X3 420e versus 1.8 GHz on the Phenom II X3 P820 — a 36.4% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 420e. The Athlon II X3 420e uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X3 P820 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 420e scores 1,557 against the Phenom II X3 P820's 1,560 — a 0.2% lead for the Phenom II X3 P820.

Feature	Athlon II X3 420e	Phenom II X3 P820
Cores / Threads	3 / 3	3 / 3
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz+44%	1.8 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	—
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	1.5 MB+200%
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,557	1,560
Geekbench 6 Single	314	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	880	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X3 420e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X3 P820 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II X3 420e	Phenom II X3 P820
Socket	AM3	S1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X3 420e) / not specified (Phenom II X3 P820). Primary use case: Athlon II X3 420e targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X3 420e rivals Athlon II X3 415e.