Athlon II X4 615e vs Pentium G3420

Athlon II X4 615e vs Pentium G3420 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 615e

4 / 4

2,018

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium G3420

2 / 2

2,022

+0.2%

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 615e vs Pentium G3420 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 615e vs Pentium G3420: 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 615e

2010

Why buy it

✅Draws 45W instead of 54W, a 9W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Pentium G3420.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,018 vs 2,022).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.8 vs 23.5 PassMark/$ ($186 MSRP vs $86 MSRP).

Pentium G3420

2013

Why buy it

✅Costs $100 less on MSRP ($86 MSRP vs $186 MSRP).
✅Delivers 116.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 23.5 vs 10.8 PassMark/$ ($86 MSRP vs $186 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌20% higher power demand at 54W vs 45W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X4 615e.

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium G3420 better than Athlon II X4 615e?

Yes. Pentium G3420 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.2% 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, Pentium G3420 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 0.4% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium G3420 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium G3420 is the better buy right now. Pentium G3420 comes in $100 cheaper on MSRP at $86 MSRP versus $186 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 116.7% better value on MSRP (23.5 vs 10.8 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium G3420 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2013 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 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 615e vs Pentium G3420 Technical Specifications

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

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	No	—
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

At launch, the Athlon II X4 615e was priced at $186, while the Pentium G3420 came in at $86. On launch pricing ($186 vs $86), Pentium G3420 was $100 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X4 615e delivers 10.8 pts/$ vs 23.5 pts/$ for the Pentium G3420 — making the Pentium G3420 the 73.7% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X4 615e	Pentium G3420
MSRP	$186	$86-54%
Performance per Dollar	10.8	23.5+118%
Release Date	2010	2013

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