Athlon II X3 450 vs A6-9500
Athlon II X3 450
A6-9500
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 450 is positioned at rank 761 and the A6-9500 is on rank 823, so the Athlon II X3 450 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 450
Performance Per Dollar A6-9500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 450 | A6-9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($15) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | ✨ Modern (Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 450 | A6-9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+66%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($15) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) |
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 450 and A6-9500
Athlon II X3 450
The Athlon II X3 450 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 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: 1,865 points. Launch price was $45.
A6-9500
The A6-9500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1024 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 1,876 points. Launch price was $64.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X3 450 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the A6-9500 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon II X3 450 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Athlon II X3 450 versus 3.8 GHz on the A6-9500 — a 17.1% clock advantage for the A6-9500 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Athlon II X3 450 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the A6-9500 uses Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 450 scores 1,865 against the A6-9500's 1,876 — a 0.6% lead for the A6-9500. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 450 | A6-9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3+50% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.8 GHz+19% |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.5 GHz+9% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 1024 kB+100% |
| Process | 45 nm | 28 nm-38% |
| Architecture | Rana (2009−2011) | Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) |
| PassMark | 1,865 | 1,876 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 380 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 980 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X3 450 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A6-9500 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X3 450 versus DDR4-2400 on the A6-9500 — the A6-9500 supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The A6-9500 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Athlon II X3 450) vs 8 (A6-9500) — the Athlon II X3 450 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: 760G,780G,790GX,880G,970,990FX (Athlon II X3 450) and AMD AM4 (A6-9500).
| Feature | Athlon II X3 450 | A6-9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | AM4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR4-2400+33% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | 64 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+100% | 8 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X3 450) / not specified (A6-9500). The A6-9500 includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon R5), while the Athlon II X3 450 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X3 450 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 450 | A6-9500 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | AMD Radeon R5 |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II X3 450 launched at $87 MSRP, while the A6-9500 debuted at $101. At current prices ($15 vs $25), the Athlon II X3 450 is $10 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X3 450 delivers 124.3 pts/$ vs 75.0 pts/$ for the A6-9500 — making the Athlon II X3 450 the 49.4% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 450 | A6-9500 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $87-14% | $101 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15-40% | $25 |
| Performance per Dollar | 124.3+66% | 75.0 |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2017 |
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