Athlon II X3 460 vs Core i3-4120U

Athlon II X3 460 vs Core i3-4120U Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X3 460

3 / 3

1,965

+0.9%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i3-4120U

2 / 4

1,948

0.0%

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 460 vs Core i3-4120U 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 460 vs Core i3-4120U: 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 460

2011

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.1% higher average FPS across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 95W instead of 512W, a 417W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Core i3-4120U.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (944 vs 1,071).
❌Launch MSRP is still $87 MSRP, while Core i3-4120U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-4120U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i3-4120U

2014

Why buy it

✅+13.5% higher Geekbench multi-core.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics 4400, while Athlon II X3 460 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II X3 460 across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌438.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 95W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X3 460.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X3 460 better than Core i3-4120U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X3 460 is ahead with a 3.1% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-4120U pulls ahead with 13.5% better Geekbench multi-core.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-4120U is the stronger fit. You are getting 13.5% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon II X3 460 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X3 460 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $87 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.1% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Core i3-4120U is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 13.5% better Geekbench multi-core. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (22.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i3-4120U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2011) 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 460 vs Core i3-4120U Technical Specifications

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

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.

Core i3-4120U

The Core i3-4120U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,948 points. Launch price was $281.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X3 460 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Core i3-4120U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X3 460 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Athlon II X3 460 versus 2 GHz on the Core i3-4120U — a 51.9% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 460 (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Athlon II X3 460 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-4120U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 460 scores 1,965 against the Core i3-4120U's 1,948 — a 0.9% lead for the Athlon II X3 460. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 384 vs 462, a 18.4% lead for the Core i3-4120U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 944 vs 1,071 (12.6% advantage for the Core i3-4120U). L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 460 vs 3 MB on the Core i3-4120U.

Feature	Athlon II X3 460	Core i3-4120U
Cores / Threads	3 / 3+50%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz+70%	2 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+70%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	512 kB
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Rana (2009−2011)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,965	1,948
Geekbench 6 Single	384	462+20%
Geekbench 6 Multi	944	1,071+13%

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X3 460 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-4120U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X3 460 versus DDR3L-1600 on the Core i3-4120U — the Core i3-4120U supports 20% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X3 460) vs 12 (Core i3-4120U) — the Core i3-4120U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: 760G,770,785G,790FX,870,880G,890FX,970,990FX (Athlon II X3 460) and HM86,HM87 (Core i3-4120U).

Feature	Athlon II X3 460	Core i3-4120U
Socket	AM3	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR3L-1600+20%
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	12

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X3 460) vs Yes (Core i3-4120U). The Core i3-4120U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4400), while the Athlon II X3 460 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X3 460 targets Budget.