Athlon II X3 450 vs V-Series V120

Athlon II X3 450 vs V-Series V120 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 450

3 / 3

1,865

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

V-Series V120

1 / 1

1,874

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 V-Series V120 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 V-Series V120: 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

✅Draws 95W instead of 512W, a 417W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (AMD Stock), unlike V-Series V120.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,865 vs 1,874).
❌Launch MSRP is still $87 MSRP, while V-Series V120 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

V-Series V120

2010

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌438.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 95W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X3 450.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X3 450 better than V-Series V120?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X3 450 is ahead with a 1.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, V-Series V120 pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, V-Series V120 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 1 cores and 1 threads.

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

Athlon II X3 450 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X3 450 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $87 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.6% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that V-Series V120 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.5% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (21.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

V-Series V120 is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more room to grow and a better platform outlook.

Athlon II X3 450 vs V-Series V120 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.

V-Series V120

The V-Series V120 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 1 cores and 1 threads. Max frequency: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 512 kB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,874 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 450 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the V-Series V120 offers 1 cores / 1 threads — the Athlon II X3 450 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Athlon II X3 450 versus 2.2 GHz on the V-Series V120 — a 37% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 450. The Athlon II X3 450 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the V-Series V120 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 450 scores 1,865 against the V-Series V120's 1,874 — a 0.5% lead for the V-Series V120.

Feature	Athlon II X3 450	V-Series V120
Cores / Threads	3 / 3+200%	1 / 1
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz+45%	2.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	—
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	512 kB
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,865	1,874
Geekbench 6 Single	380	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	980	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X3 450 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the V-Series V120 uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.