Athlon II X3 420e vs Xeon E5335

Athlon II X3 420e vs Xeon E5335 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 420e

3 / 3

1,557

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Xeon E5335

4 / 4

1,549

0.0%

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 Xeon E5335 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 Xeon E5335: 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

✅Draws 45W instead of 80W, a 35W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Xeon E5335.

Trade-offs

❌Less compelling for workstation-style loads than Xeon E5335, which brings 4 cores / 4 threads.
❌Launch MSRP is still $107 MSRP, while Xeon E5335 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon E5335

2006

Why buy it

✅Better for workstations and heavier parallel workloads: 4 cores / 4 threads.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,549 vs 1,557).
❌77.8% higher power demand at 80W vs 45W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X3 420e.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X3 420e better than Xeon E5335?

Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon E5335 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Athlon II X3 420e is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon II X3 420e is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.8% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X3 420e is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 3 cores and 3 threads.

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

Athlon II X3 420e is the better buy right now. Athlon II X3 420e comes in at an unclear MSRP at $107 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (14.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Athlon II X3 420e makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2006) and more multi-core headroom with 3 cores / 3 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon II X3 420e vs Xeon E5335 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.

Xeon E5335

The Xeon E5335 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Clovertown (2006−2007) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: LGA771. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 1,549 points. Launch price was $800.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 420e packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Xeon E5335 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Xeon E5335 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X3 420e versus 2 GHz on the Xeon E5335 — a 26.1% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 420e (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Athlon II X3 420e uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Xeon E5335 uses Clovertown (2006−2007) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 420e scores 1,557 against the Xeon E5335's 1,549 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon II X3 420e. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 420e vs 8 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon E5335.

Feature	Athlon II X3 420e	Xeon E5335
Cores / Threads	3 / 3	4 / 4+33%
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz+30%	2 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+30%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	8 MB L2 Cache
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	4 MB (total)+700%
Process	45 nm-31%	65 nm
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Clovertown (2006−2007)
PassMark	1,557	1,549
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 Xeon E5335 uses LGA771 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II X3 420e	Xeon E5335
Socket	AM3	LGA771
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 (Xeon E5335). Primary use case: Athlon II X3 420e targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon II X3 420e rivals Athlon II X3 415e.