CPU
GPU
Athlon II X3 420e
Phenom II X4 N930
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 Phenom II X4 N930 is on rank 422, so the Phenom II X4 N930 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 Phenom II X4 N930
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 420e | Phenom II X4 N930 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower 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 (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 420e | Phenom II X4 N930 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Phenom II X4 N930
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 X4 N930
The Phenom II X4 N930 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,558 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X3 420e packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Phenom II X4 N930 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 N930 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X3 420e versus 2 GHz on the Phenom II X4 N930 — a 26.1% 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 X4 N930 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 420e scores 1,557 against the Phenom II X4 N930's 1,558 — a 0.1% lead for the Phenom II X4 N930.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 420e | Phenom II X4 N930 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3 | 4 / 4+33% |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz+30% | 2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 2 MB+300% |
| Process | 45 nm | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Rana (2009−2011) | Champlain (2010−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,557 | 1,558 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 314 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 880 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X3 420e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X4 N930 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 420e | Phenom II X4 N930 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X3 420e) / not specified (Phenom II X4 N930). 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 | Phenom II X4 N930 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Legacy Desktop | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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