CPU
GPU
Athlon II X3 455
Phenom X4 9850B
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 X4 9850B is on rank 331, so the Phenom X4 9850B 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 X4 9850B
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 455 | Phenom X4 9850B |
|---|---|---|
| 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 (Agena (2007−2008) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 455 | Phenom X4 9850B |
|---|---|---|
| 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 X4 9850B
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 X4 9850B
The Phenom X4 9850B is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Agena (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,946 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X3 455 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Phenom X4 9850B offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom X4 9850B has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Athlon II X3 455 versus 2.5 GHz on the Phenom X4 9850B — a 27.6% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 455. The Athlon II X3 455 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom X4 9850B uses Agena (2007−2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 455 scores 1,938 against the Phenom X4 9850B's 1,946 — a 0.4% lead for the Phenom X4 9850B. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 455 vs 2 MB (total) on the Phenom X4 9850B.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 455 | Phenom X4 9850B |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3 | 4 / 4+33% |
| Boost Clock | 3.3 GHz+32% | 2.5 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.3 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm-31% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Rana (2009−2011) | Agena (2007−2008) |
| PassMark | 1,938 | 1,946 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X3 455 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Phenom X4 9850B uses AM2+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 455 | Phenom X4 9850B |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | AM2+ |
| 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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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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