Athlon II X3 450 vs Core i3-2100
Athlon II X3 450
Core i3-2100
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 Core i3-2100 is on rank 885, 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 Core i3-2100
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 450 | Core i3-2100 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 450 | Core i3-2100 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+49%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($10) |
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 Core i3-2100
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.
Core i3-2100
The Core i3-2100 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 February 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,856 points. Launch price was $73.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X3 450 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Core i3-2100 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X3 450 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Athlon II X3 450 versus 3.1 GHz on the Core i3-2100 — a 3.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 450 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Athlon II X3 450 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-2100 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 450 scores 1,865 against the Core i3-2100's 1,856 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon II X3 450. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 450 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-2100.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 450 | Core i3-2100 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3+50% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz+3% | 3.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+3% | 3.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core)+100% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Rana (2009−2011) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,865 | 1,856 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 380 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 980 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X3 450 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-2100 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 450 | Core i3-2100 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | LGA1155 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X3 450) / not specified (Core i3-2100). Primary use case: Athlon II X3 450 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 450 | Core i3-2100 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II X3 450 launched at $87 MSRP, while the Core i3-2100 debuted at $117. At current prices ($15 vs $10), the Core i3-2100 is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X3 450 delivers 124.3 pts/$ vs 185.6 pts/$ for the Core i3-2100 — making the Core i3-2100 the 39.5% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 450 | Core i3-2100 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $87-26% | $117 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $15 | $10-33% |
| Performance per Dollar | 124.3 | 185.6+49% |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2011 |
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