Athlon II X3 455 vs Core i5-3439Y

Athlon II X3 455 vs Core i5-3439Y Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 455

3 / 3

1,938

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-3439Y

2 / 4

1,957

+1.0%

Pentium Extreme Edition 955

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 455 vs Core i5-3439Y 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 455 vs Core i5-3439Y: 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 455

2010

Why buy it

✅Draws 95W instead of 512W, a 417W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,938 vs 1,957).
❌Launch MSRP is still $88 MSRP, while Core i5-3439Y mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-3439Y can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-3439Y

2013

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 4000, while Athlon II X3 455 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌438.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 95W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X3 455 better than Core i5-3439Y?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X3 455 is ahead with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-3439Y pulls ahead with 1% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-3439Y is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon II X3 455 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X3 455 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $88 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Core i5-3439Y is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (22.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core i5-3439Y makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 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 455 vs Core i5-3439Y Technical Specifications

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

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 i5-3439Y

The Core i5-3439Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 January 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 13 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,957 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 455 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Core i5-3439Y 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 2.3 GHz on the Core i5-3439Y — a 35.7% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 455 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Athlon II X3 455 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-3439Y uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 455 scores 1,938 against the Core i5-3439Y's 1,957 — a 1% lead for the Core i5-3439Y. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 455 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-3439Y.

Feature	Athlon II X3 455	Core i5-3439Y
Cores / Threads	3 / 3+50%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.3 GHz+43%	2.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+120%	1.5 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	1,938	1,957
Geekbench 6 Single	—	472
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	966

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X3 455 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-3439Y uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X3 455 versus DDR3L-1600 on the Core i5-3439Y — the Core i5-3439Y 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. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X3 455) vs 16 (Core i5-3439Y) — the Core i5-3439Y offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD AM3 (Athlon II X3 455) and 7-series (Core i5-3439Y).

Feature	Athlon II X3 455	Core i5-3439Y
Socket	AM3	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR3L-1600+20%
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	16

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II X3 455) / VT-x (Core i5-3439Y). The Core i5-3439Y includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4000), while the Athlon II X3 455 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-3439Y targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i5-3439Y rivals Athlon Silver 3050U.