Athlon II X3 460 vs Celeron N3450
Athlon II X3 460
Celeron N3450
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 460 is positioned at rank 734 and the Celeron N3450 is on rank 122, so the Celeron N3450 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 460
Performance Per Dollar Celeron N3450
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 460 | Celeron N3450 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 (Apollo Lake (2014−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 460 | Celeron N3450 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 460 and Celeron N3450
Athlon II X3 460
The Athlon II X3 460 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 3 May 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 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: 1,965 points. Launch price was $50.
Celeron N3450
The Celeron N3450 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1296. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,981 points. Launch price was $107.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X3 460 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Celeron N3450 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Celeron N3450 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Athlon II X3 460 versus 2.2 GHz on the Celeron N3450 — a 42.9% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 460 (base: 3.4 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Athlon II X3 460 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron N3450 uses Apollo Lake (2014−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 460 scores 1,965 against the Celeron N3450's 1,981 — a 0.8% lead for the Celeron N3450. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 460 | Celeron N3450 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3 | 4 / 4+33% |
| Boost Clock | 3.4 GHz+55% | 2.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.4 GHz+209% | 1.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 2 MB+300% |
| Process | 45 nm | 14 nm-69% |
| Architecture | Rana (2009−2011) | Apollo Lake (2014−2016) |
| PassMark | 1,965 | 1,981 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 384 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 944 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X3 460 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron N3450 uses FCBGA1296 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X3 460 versus 2400 on the Celeron N3450 — the Celeron N3450 supports 199.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X3 460 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X3 460) vs 6 (Celeron N3450) — the Celeron N3450 offers 6 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: 760G,770,785G,790FX,870,880G,890FX,970,990FX (Athlon II X3 460) and FCBGA1296 (Celeron N3450).
| Feature | Athlon II X3 460 | Celeron N3450 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FCBGA1296 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | 2400+79900% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB+209715100% | 8 |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 6 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X3 460) vs true (Celeron N3450). The Celeron N3450 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 500), while the Athlon II X3 460 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X3 460 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron N3450 rivals AMD A4-9120.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 460 | Celeron N3450 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics 500 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | true |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
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