Athlon II X4 600e vs Core i3-4000M

Athlon II X4 600e vs Core i3-4000M Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 600e

4 / 4

1,795

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i3-4000M

2 / 4

1,797

+0.1%

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 X4 600e vs Core i3-4000M 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 X4 600e vs Core i3-4000M: 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 X4 600e

2009

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 512W, a 467W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i3-4000M.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,795 vs 1,797).
❌Launch MSRP is still $100 MSRP, while Core i3-4000M mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i3-4000M

2013

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌1037.8% higher power demand at 512W vs 45W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X4 600e.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-4000M better than Athlon II X4 600e?

Yes. Core i3-4000M is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 38 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.1% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i3-4000M is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.9% more average FPS across 38 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-4000M is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i3-4000M is still the much better call for a fresh build. Core i3-4000M comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 38 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon II X4 600e only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2009 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (17.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on AM3.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i3-4000M makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon II X4 600e vs Core i3-4000M Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X4 600e

The Athlon II X4 600e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,795 points. Launch price was $130.

Core i3-4000M

The Core i3-4000M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA946. Thermal design power (TDP): 37 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,797 points. Launch price was $225.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 600e packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i3-4000M offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 600e has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Athlon II X4 600e versus 2.4 GHz on the Core i3-4000M — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Core i3-4000M (base: 2.2 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Athlon II X4 600e uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-4000M uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 600e scores 1,795 against the Core i3-4000M's 1,797 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i3-4000M. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 600e vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-4000M.

Feature	Athlon II X4 600e	Core i3-4000M
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz	2.4 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.2 GHz	2.4 GHz+9%
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Propus (2009−2011)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,795	1,797

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 600e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-4000M uses PGA946 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.