Athlon II X3 445 vs Atom x5-E3940

Athlon II X3 445 vs Atom x5-E3940 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 445

3 / 3

1,807

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Atom x5-E3940

4 / 4

1,816

+0.5%

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 445 vs Atom x5-E3940 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 445 vs Atom x5-E3940: 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 445

2010

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,807 vs 1,816).
❌Launch MSRP is still $87 MSRP, while Atom x5-E3940 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌850% higher power demand at 95W vs 10W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Atom x5-E3940 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Atom x5-E3940

2014

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 10W instead of 95W, a 85W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (6 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics 500, while Athlon II X3 445 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

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

Quick Answers

So, is Atom x5-E3940 better than Athlon II X3 445?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X3 445 is ahead with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Atom x5-E3940 pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Atom x5-E3940 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Atom x5-E3940 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Atom x5-E3940 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $87 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better PassMark. Athlon II X3 445 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (20.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?

Atom x5-E3940 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 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 445 vs Atom x5-E3940 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X3 445

The Athlon II X3 445 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 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: 1,807 points. Launch price was $91.

Atom x5-E3940

The Atom x5-E3940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1296. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 1,816 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 445 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Atom x5-E3940 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Atom x5-E3940 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X3 445 versus 1.8 GHz on the Atom x5-E3940 — a 53.1% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 445 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Athlon II X3 445 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Atom x5-E3940 uses Apollo Lake (2014−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 445 scores 1,807 against the Atom x5-E3940's 1,816 — a 0.5% lead for the Atom x5-E3940. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon II X3 445	Atom x5-E3940
Cores / Threads	3 / 3	4 / 4+33%
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz+72%	1.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.1 GHz+94%	1.6 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	2 MB (total)+300%
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Apollo Lake (2014−2016)
PassMark	1,807	1,816

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X3 445 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Atom x5-E3940 uses FCBGA1296 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X3 445 versus DDR3L-1866 on the Atom x5-E3940 — the Atom x5-E3940 supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X3 445 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X3 445) vs 6 (Atom x5-E3940) — the Atom x5-E3940 offers 6 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD AM3 (Athlon II X3 445) and Intel FCBGA1296 (Atom x5-E3940).

Feature	Athlon II X3 445	Atom x5-E3940
Socket	AM3	FCBGA1296
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR3L-1866+40%
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB+300%	8 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	0	6