Athlon II X3 420e vs Phenom X4 9500
Athlon II X3 420e
Phenom X4 9500
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 X4 9500 is on rank 1061, 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 Phenom X4 9500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 420e | Phenom X4 9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($15) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Agena (2007−2008) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 420e | Phenom X4 9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+99%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($15) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($30) |
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 X4 9500
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 X4 9500
The Phenom X4 9500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Agena (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,564 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X3 420e packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Phenom X4 9500 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom X4 9500 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X3 420e versus 2.2 GHz on the Phenom X4 9500 — a 16.7% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 420e. The Athlon II X3 420e uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom X4 9500 uses Agena (2007−2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 420e scores 1,557 against the Phenom X4 9500's 1,564 — a 0.4% lead for the Phenom X4 9500. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 420e vs 2 MB (total) on the Phenom X4 9500.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 420e | Phenom X4 9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3 | 4 / 4+33% |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz+18% | 2.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm-31% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Rana (2009−2011) | Agena (2007−2008) |
| PassMark | 1,557 | 1,564 |
| 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 X4 9500 uses AM2+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 420e | Phenom X4 9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | AM2+ |
| 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 X4 9500). 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 X4 9500 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Phenom X4 9500 debuted at $247. At current prices ($15 vs $30), the Athlon II X3 420e is $15 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X3 420e delivers 103.8 pts/$ vs 52.1 pts/$ for the Phenom X4 9500 — making the Athlon II X3 420e the 66.3% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 420e | Phenom X4 9500 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $107-57% | $247 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15-50% | $30 |
| Performance per Dollar | 103.8+99% | 52.1 |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2007 |
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