Athlon II X3 450 vs Pentium G2120

Athlon II X3 450 vs Pentium G2120 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 450

3 / 3

1,865

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium G2120

2 / 2

1,876

+0.6%

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 450 vs Pentium G2120 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 450 vs Pentium G2120: 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 450

2010

Why buy it

✅Includes a boxed cooler (AMD Stock), unlike Pentium G2120.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,865 vs 1,876).
❌
1.2% HIGHER MSRP
$87 MSRPvs$86 MSRP
❌72.7% higher power demand at 95W vs 55W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Pentium G2120 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Pentium G2120

2012

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $1 less on MSRP ($86 MSRP vs $87 MSRP).
✅Draws 55W instead of 95W, a 40W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), while Athlon II X3 450 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X3 450.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium G2120 better than Athlon II X3 450?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X3 450 is ahead with a 2.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium G2120 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 G2120 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 G2120 is the better buy right now. Pentium G2120 comes in $1 cheaper on MSRP at $86 MSRP versus $87 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.6% better PassMark. The compromise is that Athlon II X3 450 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 1.8% better value on MSRP (21.8 vs 21.4 PassMark/$), 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 G2120 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 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 450 vs Pentium G2120 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Pentium G2120

The Pentium G2120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 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 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,876 points. Launch price was $88.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 450 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Pentium G2120 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 3.1 GHz on the Pentium G2120 — 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 Pentium G2120 uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 450 scores 1,865 against the Pentium G2120's 1,876 — a 0.6% lead for the Pentium G2120. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 450 vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G2120.

Feature	Athlon II X3 450	Pentium G2120
Cores / Threads	3 / 3+50%	2 / 2
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	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
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 Pentium G2120 uses LGA1155 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X3 450 versus DDR3-1600 on the Pentium G2120 — the Pentium G2120 supports 20% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes.

Feature	Athlon II X3 450	Pentium G2120
Socket	AM3	LGA1155
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR3-1600+20%
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X3 450) vs VT-x (Pentium G2120). The Pentium G2120 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)), while the Athlon II X3 450 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X3 450 targets Desktop, Pentium G2120 targets Desktop.

Feature	Athlon II X3 450	Pentium G2120
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)
Unlocked	No	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x
Target Use	Desktop	Desktop

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X3 450 was priced at $87, while the Pentium G2120 came in at $86. On launch pricing ($87 vs $86), Pentium G2120 was $1 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X3 450 delivers 21.4 pts/$ vs 21.8 pts/$ for the Pentium G2120 — making the Pentium G2120 the 1.7% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X3 450	Pentium G2120
MSRP	$87	$86-1%
Performance per Dollar	21.4	21.8+2%
Release Date	2010	2012

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