Athlon II X4 620e vs Core i3-10100Y

AMD

Athlon II X4 620e

4 Cores4 Thrd45 WWMax: 2.6 GHz2011
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Core i3-10100Y

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2018
Core family
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Athlon II X4 620e vs Core i3-10100Y Performance Spectrum

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 620e vs Core i3-10100Y 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 620e vs Core i3-10100Y: 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 620e

2011

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +3.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Draws 45W instead of 512W, a 467W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (2,906 vs 2,918).
  • Launch MSRP is still $99 MSRP, while Core i3-10100Y mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i3-10100Y

2018

Why buy it

  • +0.4% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II X4 620e across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • 1037.8% higher power demand at 512W vs 45W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X4 620e better than Core i3-10100Y?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X4 620e is ahead with a 3.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-10100Y pulls ahead with 0.4% better PassMark.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-10100Y is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Athlon II X4 620e is the better buy right now. Athlon II X4 620e comes in at an unclear MSRP at $99 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Core i3-10100Y is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.4% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (29.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Core i3-10100Y makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2011) 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 620e vs Core i3-10100Y Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon II X4 620e

The Athlon II X4 620e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 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: 2,906 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Core i3-10100Y

The Core i3-10100Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Amber Lake-Y (2018−2021) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1515. Thermal design power (TDP): 5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,918 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 620e packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i3-10100Y offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 620e has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X4 620e versus 3.9 GHz on the Core i3-10100Y — a 40% clock advantage for the Core i3-10100Y (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1.3 GHz). The Athlon II X4 620e uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-10100Y uses Amber Lake-Y (2018−2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 620e scores 2,906 against the Core i3-10100Y's 2,918 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i3-10100Y. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 620e vs 4 MB on the Core i3-10100Y.

FeatureAthlon II X4 620eCore i3-10100Y
Cores / Threads
4 / 4+100%
2 / 4
Boost Clock
2.6 GHz
3.9 GHz+50%
Base Clock
2.6 GHz+100%
1.3 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
4 MB
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)
512 kB
Process
45 nm
14 nm-69%
Architecture
Propus (2009−2011)
Amber Lake-Y (2018−2021)
PassMark
2,906
2,918
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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 620e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-10100Y uses FCBGA1515 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureAthlon II X4 620eCore i3-10100Y
Socket
AM3
FCBGA1515
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity
32 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
No
PCIe Lanes
0