Athlon II X3 425e vs Celeron N6211

AMD

Athlon II X3 425e

3 Cores3 Thrd45 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2011
VS
Intel

Celeron N6211

2 Cores2 Thrd1.5 WWMax: 3 GHz2022

Athlon II X3 425e vs Celeron N6211 Performance Spectrum

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 425e vs Celeron N6211 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 425e vs Celeron N6211: 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 425e

2011

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • ❌Lower PassMark (2,239 vs 2,245).
    • ❌Launch MSRP is still $79 MSRP, while Celeron N6211 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
    • ❌2900% higher power demand at 45W vs 1.5W.

    Celeron N6211

    2022

    Why buy it

    • βœ…Draws 2W instead of 45W, a 44W reduction.

    Trade-offs

    • ❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Celeron N6211 better than Athlon II X3 425e?
    Yes. Celeron N6211 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.3% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
    Which one is better for gaming?
    If gaming is the priority, Celeron N6211 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.4% 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, Celeron N6211 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
    Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
    Celeron N6211 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Celeron N6211 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $79 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon II X3 425e only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2011 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (28.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?
    Celeron N6211 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2011) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 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 425e vs Celeron N6211 Technical Specifications

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

    AMD

    Athlon II X3 425e

    The Athlon II X3 425e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Rana (2009βˆ’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): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,239 points. Launch price was $149.

    Intel

    Celeron N6211

    The Celeron N6211 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 17 July 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Elkhart Lake (2022) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.2 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1493. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,245 points. Launch price was $54.

    ⚑

    Processing Power

    The Athlon II X3 425e packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Celeron N6211 offers 2 cores / 2 threads β€” the Athlon II X3 425e has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X3 425e versus 3 GHz on the Celeron N6211 β€” a 10.5% clock advantage for the Celeron N6211 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 1.2 GHz). The Athlon II X3 425e uses the Rana (2009βˆ’2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron N6211 uses Elkhart Lake (2022) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 425e scores 2,239 against the Celeron N6211's 2,245 β€” a 0.3% lead for the Celeron N6211.

    FeatureAthlon II X3 425eCeleron N6211
    Cores / Threads
    3 / 3+50%
    2 / 2
    Boost Clock
    2.7 GHz
    3 GHz+11%
    Base Clock
    2.7 GHz+125%
    1.2 GHz
    L3 Cache
    0 kB
    β€”
    L2 Cache
    512 kB (per core)
    1.5 MB+200%
    Process
    45 nm
    10 nm-78%
    Architecture
    Rana (2009βˆ’2011)
    Elkhart Lake (2022)
    PassMark
    2,239
    2,245
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Athlon II X3 425e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron N6211 uses BGA1493 (PCIe 4.0) β€” making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeatureAthlon II X3 425eCeleron N6211
    Socket
    AM3
    BGA1493
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 2.0
    PCIe 4.0+100%
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR3-1333
    β€”
    Max RAM Capacity
    32 GB
    β€”
    RAM Channels
    2
    β€”
    ECC Support
    No
    β€”
    PCIe Lanes
    0
    β€”