Athlon II X3 425e vs Phenom II X4 920

Athlon II X3 425e vs Phenom II X4 920 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 425e

3 / 3

2,239

+1.7%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Phenom II X4 920

4 / 4

2,202

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 Phenom II X4 920 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 Phenom II X4 920: 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

✅Better for gaming: +5.4% higher average FPS across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 45W instead of 125W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $79 MSRP, while Phenom II X4 920 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Phenom II X4 920

2009

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II X3 425e across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,202 vs 2,239).
❌177.8% higher power demand at 125W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X3 425e better than Phenom II X4 920?

Yes. Athlon II X3 425e is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 5.4% average FPS lead across 44 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.7% 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, Athlon II X3 425e is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 5.4% more average FPS across 44 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 425e is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.7% better PassMark, backed by 3 cores and 3 threads.

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

Athlon II X3 425e is the better buy right now. Athlon II X3 425e comes in at an unclear MSRP at $79 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.4% average FPS lead across 44 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (28.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 425e makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2011 vs 2009) 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 425e vs Phenom II X4 920 Technical Specifications

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

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 (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): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,239 points. Launch price was $149.

Phenom II X4 920

The Phenom II X4 920 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 January 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,202 points. Launch price was $90.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 425e packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Phenom II X4 920 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 920 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X3 425e versus 2.8 GHz on the Phenom II X4 920 — a 3.6% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 920 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Athlon II X3 425e uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X4 920 uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 425e scores 2,239 against the Phenom II X4 920's 2,202 — a 1.7% lead for the Athlon II X3 425e. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 425e vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 920.

Feature	Athlon II X3 425e	Phenom II X4 920
Cores / Threads	3 / 3	4 / 4+33%
Boost Clock	2.7 GHz	2.8 GHz+4%
Base Clock	2.7 GHz	2.8 GHz+4%
L3 Cache	0 kB	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	512 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Deneb (2009−2011)
PassMark	2,239+2%	2,202