
Athlon II X3 455

Phenom II X4 X920 BE
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 Phenom II X4 X920 BE is on rank 308, so the Phenom II X4 X920 BE 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 Phenom II X4 X920 BE
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 455 | Phenom II X4 X920 BE |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 455 | Phenom II X4 X920 BE |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Phenom II X4 X920 BE

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.
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 |
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.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 455 | Phenom II X4 X920 BE |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | S1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
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