Athlon II X4 605e vs Core i3-4120U
Athlon II X4 605e
Core i3-4120U
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 X4 605e is positioned at rank 923 and the Core i3-4120U is on rank 129, so the Core i3-4120U 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 X4 605e
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-4120U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X4 605e | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Propus (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X4 605e | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) | ✅ 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 X4 605e and Core i3-4120U
Athlon II X4 605e
The Athlon II X4 605e 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 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 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: 1,964 points. Launch price was $102.
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.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X4 605e packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i3-4120U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 605e has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Athlon II X4 605e versus 2 GHz on the Core i3-4120U — a 14% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 605e (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Athlon II X4 605e uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-4120U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 605e scores 1,964 against the Core i3-4120U's 1,948 — a 0.8% lead for the Athlon II X4 605e. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 300 vs 462, a 42.5% lead for the Core i3-4120U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,069 vs 1,071 (0.2% advantage for the Core i3-4120U). L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 605e vs 3 MB on the Core i3-4120U.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 605e | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.3 GHz+15% | 2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz+15% | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 3 MB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 512 kB |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Propus (2009−2011) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 1,964 | 1,948 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 1,140 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 300 | 462+54% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,069 | 1,071 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X4 605e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-4120U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Athlon II X4 605e supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Athlon II X4 605e) vs 12 (Core i3-4120U) — the Athlon II X4 605e offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: 760G,785G,790GX,880G,890GX (Athlon II X4 605e) and HM86,HM87 (Core i3-4120U).
| Feature | Athlon II X4 605e | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+100% | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+33% | 12 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X4 605e) vs Yes (Core i3-4120U). The Core i3-4120U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4400), while the Athlon II X4 605e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X4 605e targets Desktop.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 605e | Core i3-4120U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics 4400 |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | Yes |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
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