Athlon II X3 440 vs Phenom II X4 900e

Athlon II X3 440 vs Phenom II X4 900e Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 440

3 / 3

1,743

+0.9%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Phenom II X4 900e

4 / 4

1,727

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 440 vs Phenom II X4 900e 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 440 vs Phenom II X4 900e: 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 440

2010

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $75 MSRP, while Phenom II X4 900e mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Phenom II X4 900e

2009

Why buy it

✅Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II X3 440 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (1,727 vs 1,743).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X3 440 better than Phenom II X4 900e?

Yes. Athlon II X3 440 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 5.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.9% 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 440 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 5.4% 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, Athlon II X3 440 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 3 cores and 3 threads.

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

Athlon II X3 440 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X3 440 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $75 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (23.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 440 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 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 440 vs Phenom II X4 900e Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X3 440

The Athlon II X3 440 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 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: 1,743 points. Launch price was $47.

Phenom II X4 900e

The Phenom II X4 900e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,727 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 440 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Phenom II X4 900e offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 900e has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Athlon II X3 440 versus 2.4 GHz on the Phenom II X4 900e — a 22.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 440 (base: 3 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Athlon II X3 440 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X4 900e uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 440 scores 1,743 against the Phenom II X4 900e's 1,727 — a 0.9% lead for the Athlon II X3 440. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 440 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 900e.

Feature	Athlon II X3 440	Phenom II X4 900e
Cores / Threads	3 / 3	4 / 4+33%
Boost Clock	3 GHz+25%	2.4 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz+25%	2.4 GHz
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	1,743	1,727