CPU
GPU
Athlon II X3 455
Core i3-4120U
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 455 is positioned at rank 750 and the Core i3-4120U is on rank 129, so the Core i3-4120U 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 455
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-4120U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 455 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 455 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 455 and Core i3-4120U
Athlon II X3 455
The Athlon II X3 455 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 December 2010 (14 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 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: 1,938 points. Launch price was $88.
Core i3-4120U
The Core i3-4120U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,948 points. Launch price was $281.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X3 455 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Core i3-4120U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X3 455 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Athlon II X3 455 versus 2 GHz on the Core i3-4120U — a 49.1% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 455 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Athlon II X3 455 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-4120U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 455 scores 1,938 against the Core i3-4120U's 1,948 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i3-4120U. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 455 vs 3 MB on the Core i3-4120U.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 455 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3+50% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.3 GHz+65% | 2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.3 GHz+65% | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 3 MB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 512 kB |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Rana (2009−2011) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 1,938 | 1,948 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 462 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,071 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X3 455 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-4120U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Athlon II X3 455 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X3 455) vs 12 (Core i3-4120U) — the Core i3-4120U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD AM3 (Athlon II X3 455) and HM86,HM87 (Core i3-4120U).
| Feature | Athlon II X3 455 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+100% | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 12 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II X3 455) / Yes (Core i3-4120U). The Core i3-4120U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4400), while the Athlon II X3 455 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 455 | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics 4400 |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | Yes |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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