CPU
GPU
Athlon II X3 460
Core i3-5015U
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 Core i3-5015U is on rank 648, so the Core i3-5015U 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 Core i3-5015U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X3 460 | Core i3-5015U |
|---|---|---|
| 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 (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X3 460 | Core i3-5015U |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Core i3-5015U
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 i3-5015U
The Core i3-5015U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,990 points. Launch price was $275.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X3 460 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Core i3-5015U 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 2.1 GHz on the Core i3-5015U — a 47.3% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 460 (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Athlon II X3 460 uses the Rana (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-5015U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X3 460 scores 1,965 against the Core i3-5015U's 1,990 — a 1.3% lead for the Core i3-5015U. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 460 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-5015U.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 460 | Core i3-5015U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3+50% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.4 GHz+62% | 2.1 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.4 GHz+62% | 2.1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core)+100% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 14 nm-69% |
| Architecture | Rana (2009−2011) | Broadwell-U (2015) |
| PassMark | 1,965 | 1,990+1% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 384 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 944 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X3 460 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-5015U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. 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 i3-5015U) — the Core i3-5015U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 460 | Core i3-5015U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 12 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X3 460) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-5015U). The Core i3-5015U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 5500), while the Athlon II X3 460 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X3 460 targets Budget, Core i3-5015U targets Mobile.
| Feature | Athlon II X3 460 | Core i3-5015U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics 5500 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | Budget | Mobile |
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