Athlon II X3 455 vs Phenom II X4 X920 BE

Athlon II X3 455 vs Phenom II X4 X920 BE Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 455

3 / 3

1,938

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Phenom II X4 X920 BE

4 / 4

1,935

0.0%

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 455 vs Phenom II X4 X920 BE 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 Phenom II X4 X920 BE: 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

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $88 MSRP, while Phenom II X4 X920 BE mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌4650% higher power demand at 95W vs 2W.

Phenom II X4 X920 BE

2010

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 95W, a 93W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,935 vs 1,938).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X3 455 better than Phenom II X4 X920 BE?

Yes. Athlon II X3 455 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.2% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon II X3 455 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.4% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X3 455 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 3 cores and 3 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 $88 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (22.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Phenom II X4 X920 BE is the safer long-term CPU choice because it gives you more room to grow and a better platform outlook.

Athlon II X3 455 vs Phenom II X4 X920 BE 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.

Phenom II X4 X920 BE

The Phenom II X4 X920 BE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,935 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 455 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Phenom II X4 X920 BE offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 X920 BE has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Athlon II X3 455 versus 2.3 GHz on the Phenom II X4 X920 BE — a 35.7% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 455. The Athlon II X3 455 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X4 X920 BE uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 455 scores 1,938 against the Phenom II X4 X920 BE's 1,935 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon II X3 455.

Feature	Athlon II X3 455	Phenom II X4 X920 BE
Cores / Threads	3 / 3	4 / 4+33%
Boost Clock	3.3 GHz+43%	2.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz	—
L3 Cache	0 kB	—
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	2 MB+300%
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,938	1,935

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X3 455 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom II X4 X920 BE uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.