Athlon II X4 615e vs Pentium G3420
Athlon II X4 615e
Pentium G3420
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 615e is positioned at rank 983 and the Pentium G3420 is on rank 714, so the Pentium G3420 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 615e
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G3420
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X4 615e | Pentium G3420 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($30) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($40) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Propus (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X4 615e | Pentium G3420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+33%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($30) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($40) |
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 615e and Pentium G3420
Athlon II X4 615e
The Athlon II X4 615e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 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: 2,018 points. Launch price was $59.
Pentium G3420
The Pentium G3420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 53 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,022 points. Launch price was $252.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X4 615e packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium G3420 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon II X4 615e has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Athlon II X4 615e versus 3.2 GHz on the Pentium G3420 — a 24.6% clock advantage for the Pentium G3420 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Athlon II X4 615e uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium G3420 uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 615e scores 2,018 against the Pentium G3420's 2,022 — a 0.2% lead for the Pentium G3420. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 615e vs 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G3420.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 615e | Pentium G3420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.5 GHz | 3.2 GHz+28% |
| Base Clock | 2.5 GHz | 3.2 GHz+28% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core)+100% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Propus (2009−2011) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 2,018 | 2,022 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 1,161 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 331 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,161 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X4 615e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium G3420 uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 615e | Pentium G3420 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | LGA1150 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X4 615e) / not specified (Pentium G3420). Primary use case: Athlon II X4 615e targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Athlon II X4 615e rivals Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 615e | Pentium G3420 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | Yes | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Gaming | — |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II X4 615e launched at $186 MSRP, while the Pentium G3420 debuted at $86. At current prices ($30 vs $40), the Athlon II X4 615e is $10 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X4 615e delivers 67.3 pts/$ vs 50.5 pts/$ for the Pentium G3420 — making the Athlon II X4 615e the 28.4% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 615e | Pentium G3420 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $186 | $86-54% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $30-25% | $40 |
| Performance per Dollar | 67.3+33% | 50.5 |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2013 |
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