
Athlon II X3 425

Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85
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 425 is positioned at rank 792 and the Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 is on rank 413, so the Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 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 425
Performance Per Dollar Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 425 | Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($5) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Puma (2008−2009) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 425 | Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($5) | ✅ 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 425 and Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85

Athlon II X3 425
The Athlon II X3 425 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,595 points. Launch price was $42.

Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85
The Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Puma (2008−2009) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: S1g2. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR2. Passmark benchmark score: 1,585 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X3 425 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon II X3 425 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X3 425 versus 2.3 GHz on the Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 — a 16% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 425. The Athlon II X3 425 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 uses Puma (2008−2009) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 425 scores 1,595 against the Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85's 1,585 — a 0.6% lead for the Athlon II X3 425. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 425 | Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3+50% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.7 GHz+17% | 2.3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.7 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 2 MB+300% |
| Process | 45 nm-31% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Rana (2009−2011) | Puma (2008−2009) |
| PassMark | 1,595 | 1,585 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X3 425 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 uses S1g2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 425 | Turion X2 Ultra ZM-85 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | S1g2 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
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