Athlon II X3 445 vs Pentium G3250T

AMD

Athlon II X3 445

3 Cores3 Thrd95 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2010
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Pentium G3250T

2 Cores2 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2014
Similar parts
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Athlon II X3 445 vs Pentium G3250T Performance Spectrum

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 Pentium G3250T 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 Pentium G3250T: 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 1,818).
    • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 20.8 vs 28.4 PassMark/$ ($87 MSRP vs $64 MSRP).
    • 171.4% higher power demand at 95W vs 35W.

    Pentium G3250T

    2014

    Why buy it

    • +0.6% higher PassMark.
    • Costs $23 less on MSRP ($64 MSRP vs $87 MSRP).
    • Delivers 36.8% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 28.4 vs 20.8 PassMark/$ ($64 MSRP vs $87 MSRP).
    • Draws 35W instead of 95W, a 60W reduction.

    Trade-offs

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

    Quick Answers

    So, is Pentium G3250T 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 1.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium G3250T pulls ahead with 0.6% better PassMark.
    Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
    For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium G3250T is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
    Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
    Pentium G3250T is the better buy right now. Pentium G3250T comes in $23 cheaper on MSRP at $64 MSRP versus $87 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.6% better PassMark. The compromise is that Athlon II X3 445 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 36.8% better value on MSRP (28.4 vs 20.8 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
    Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
    Pentium G3250T 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 2 cores / 2 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 Pentium G3250T Technical Specifications

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

    AMD

    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.

    Intel

    Pentium G3250T

    The Pentium G3250T is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 21 July 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,818 points. Launch price was $46.

    Processing Power

    The Athlon II X3 445 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Pentium G3250T offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon II X3 445 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X3 445 versus 2.8 GHz on the Pentium G3250T — a 10.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 445 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Athlon II X3 445 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium G3250T uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 445 scores 1,807 against the Pentium G3250T's 1,818 — a 0.6% lead for the Pentium G3250T. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 445 vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G3250T.

    FeatureAthlon II X3 445Pentium G3250T
    Cores / Threads
    3 / 3+50%
    2 / 2
    Boost Clock
    3.1 GHz+11%
    2.8 GHz
    Base Clock
    3.1 GHz+11%
    2.8 GHz
    L3 Cache
    0 kB
    3 MB (total)
    L2 Cache
    512 kB (per core)+100%
    256 kB (per core)
    Process
    45 nm
    22 nm-51%
    Architecture
    Rana (2009−2011)
    Haswell (2013−2015)
    PassMark
    1,807
    1,818
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Athlon II X3 445 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium G3250T uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeatureAthlon II X3 445Pentium G3250T
    Socket
    AM3
    LGA1150
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 2.0
    PCIe 3.0+50%
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR3-1333
    Max RAM Capacity
    32 GB
    RAM Channels
    2
    ECC Support
    No
    PCIe Lanes
    0
    💰

    Value Analysis

    At launch, the Athlon II X3 445 was priced at $87, while the Pentium G3250T came in at $64. On launch pricing ($87 vs $64), Pentium G3250T was $23 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X3 445 delivers 20.8 pts/$ vs 28.4 pts/$ for the Pentium G3250T — making the Pentium G3250T the 31.1% better value option.

    FeatureAthlon II X3 445Pentium G3250T
    MSRP
    $87
    $64-26%
    Performance per Dollar
    20.8
    28.4+37%
    Release Date
    2010
    2014

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