Athlon II X3 445 vs Atom x5-E3940
Athlon II X3 445
Atom x5-E3940
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 445 is positioned at rank 781 and the Atom x5-E3940 is on rank 337, so the Atom x5-E3940 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 445
Performance Per Dollar Atom x5-E3940
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 445 | Atom x5-E3940 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Apollo Lake (2014−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 445 | Atom x5-E3940 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ 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 445 and Atom x5-E3940
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.
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 |
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. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Athlon II X3 445 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 120% 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 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+300% | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 6 |
Advanced Features
The Atom x5-E3940 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 500), while the Athlon II X3 445 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 445 | Atom x5-E3940 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics 500 |
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