Athlon PRO 3045B vs Core i5-4200M

CPU

GPU

Athlon PRO 3045B

2 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2021

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Core i5-4200M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2013

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Athlon PRO 3045B vs Core i5-4200M Performance Spectrum

Athlon PRO 3045B

2 / 4

2,770

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-4200M

2 / 4

2,809

+1.4%

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 PRO 3045B vs Core i5-4200M 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 PRO 3045B vs Core i5-4200M: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon PRO 3045B

2021

Why buy it

✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).
✅Draws 15W instead of 512W, a 497W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,770 vs 2,809).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.5 vs 12.5 PassMark/$ ($426 MSRP vs $225 MSRP).

Core i5-4200M

2013

Why buy it

✅+1.4% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $201 less on MSRP ($225 MSRP vs $426 MSRP).
✅Delivers 92.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 12.5 vs 6.5 PassMark/$ ($225 MSRP vs $426 MSRP).
✅100% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 4 MB).
❌3313.3% higher power demand at 512W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon PRO 3045B better than Core i5-4200M?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon PRO 3045B is ahead with a 0.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-4200M pulls ahead with 1.4% better PassMark. Athlon PRO 3045B also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-4200M is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon PRO 3045B is still the much better call for a fresh build. Athlon PRO 3045B comes in 89.3% more expensive on MSRP at $426 MSRP versus $225 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-4200M only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2013 platform. Even with 92.0% better value on paper (12.5 vs 6.5 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on PGA946.

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

Athlon PRO 3045B makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2013) and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon PRO 3045B vs Core i5-4200M Technical Specifications

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

Athlon PRO 3045B

The Athlon PRO 3045B is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Dali (2020−2021) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,770 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i5-4200M

The Core i5-4200M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA946. Thermal design power (TDP): 37 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,809 points. Launch price was $225.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon PRO 3045B and Core i5-4200M share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Athlon PRO 3045B versus 3.1 GHz on the Core i5-4200M — a 3.2% clock advantage for the Athlon PRO 3045B (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Athlon PRO 3045B uses the Dali (2020−2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-4200M uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon PRO 3045B scores 2,770 against the Core i5-4200M's 2,809 — a 1.4% lead for the Core i5-4200M. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon PRO 3045B vs 3 MB on the Core i5-4200M.

Feature	Athlon PRO 3045B	Core i5-4200M
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz+3%	3.1 GHz
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	2.5 GHz+9%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)+33%	3 MB
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	512 kB
Process	14 nm-36%	22 nm
Architecture	Dali (2020−2021)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	2,770	2,809+1%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon PRO 3045B uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i5-4200M uses PGA946 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2400 on the Athlon PRO 3045B versus DDR3L-1600 on the Core i5-4200M — the Athlon PRO 3045B supports 50% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (Athlon PRO 3045B) vs 16 (Core i5-4200M) — the Core i5-4200M offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Athlon PRO 3045B	Core i5-4200M
Socket	FP5	PGA946
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+33%	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400+50%	DDR3L-1600
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	8	16+100%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon PRO 3045B) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-4200M). Both include integrated graphics — AMD Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon PRO 3045B) and HD Graphics 4600 (Core i5-4200M) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4200M targets Mobile.

Feature	Athlon PRO 3045B	Core i5-4200M
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	AMD Radeon Vega 3	HD Graphics 4600
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Mobile

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon PRO 3045B was priced at $426, while the Core i5-4200M came in at $225. On launch pricing ($426 vs $225), Core i5-4200M was $201 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon PRO 3045B delivers 6.5 pts/$ vs 12.5 pts/$ for the Core i5-4200M — making the Core i5-4200M the 63% better value option.

Feature	Athlon PRO 3045B	Core i5-4200M
MSRP	$426	$225-47%
Performance per Dollar	6.5	12.5+92%
Release Date	2021	2013

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