Athlon II X3 445 vs Core 2 Extreme QX9300

Athlon II X3 445 vs Core 2 Extreme QX9300 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 445

3 / 3

1,807

+0.1%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core 2 Extreme QX9300

4 / 4

1,805

0.0%

Pentium 2117U

Pentium N3540

Celeron 1020E

Pentium Dual Core T2370

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 Core 2 Extreme QX9300 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 Core 2 Extreme QX9300: 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

❌Launch MSRP is still $87 MSRP, while Core 2 Extreme QX9300 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌691.7% higher power demand at 95W vs 12W.

Core 2 Extreme QX9300

2008

Why buy it

✅Draws 12W instead of 95W, a 83W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,805 vs 1,807).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X3 445 better than Core 2 Extreme QX9300?

Yes. Athlon II X3 445 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.1% 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 445 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.0% 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 445 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 3 cores and 3 threads.

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

Athlon II X3 445 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X3 445 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $87 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (20.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 445 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2008) 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 445 vs Core 2 Extreme QX9300 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.

Core 2 Extreme QX9300

The Core 2 Extreme QX9300 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2008-01-01. It is based on the Penryn (2008−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.53 GHz, with boost up to 2.53 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 12 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,805 points. Launch price was $249.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 445 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Core 2 Extreme QX9300 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Core 2 Extreme QX9300 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X3 445 versus 2.53 GHz on the Core 2 Extreme QX9300 — a 20.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 445 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 2.53 GHz). The Athlon II X3 445 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core 2 Extreme QX9300 uses Penryn (2008−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 445 scores 1,807 against the Core 2 Extreme QX9300's 1,805 — a 0.1% lead for the Athlon II X3 445. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon II X3 445	Core 2 Extreme QX9300
Cores / Threads	3 / 3	4 / 4+33%
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz+23%	2.53 GHz
Base Clock	3.1 GHz+23%	2.53 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	12 MB+2300%
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Penryn (2008−2011)
PassMark	1,807	1,805

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X3 445 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Extreme QX9300 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.