Celeron N3450 vs Athlon II X3 460
Celeron N3450
Athlon II X3 460
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 Celeron N3450 is positioned at rank 122 and the Athlon II X3 460 is on rank 734, so the Celeron N3450 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Celeron N3450
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X3 460
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Celeron N3450 | Athlon II X3 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Apollo Lake (2014−2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Celeron N3450 | Athlon II X3 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
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 Celeron N3450 and Athlon II X3 460
Celeron N3450
The Celeron N3450 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1296. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,981 points. Launch price was $107.
Athlon II X3 460
The Athlon II X3 460 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 3 May 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,965 points. Launch price was $50.
Processing Power
The Celeron N3450 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon II X3 460 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Celeron N3450 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Celeron N3450 versus 3.4 GHz on the Athlon II X3 460 — a 42.9% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 460 (base: 1.1 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Celeron N3450 uses the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Athlon II X3 460 uses Rana (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Celeron N3450 scores 1,981 against the Athlon II X3 460's 1,965 — a 0.8% lead for the Celeron N3450. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Celeron N3450 | Athlon II X3 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+33% | 3 / 3 |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz | 3.4 GHz+55% |
| Base Clock | 1.1 GHz | 3.4 GHz+209% |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+300% | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm-69% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Apollo Lake (2014−2016) | Rana (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,981 | 1,965 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 384 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 944 |
Memory & Platform
The Celeron N3450 uses the FCBGA1296 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II X3 460 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 2400 on the Celeron N3450 versus DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X3 460 — the Celeron N3450 supports 199.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X3 460 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 6 (Celeron N3450) vs 0 (Athlon II X3 460) — the Celeron N3450 offers 6 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: FCBGA1296 (Celeron N3450) and 760G,770,785G,790FX,870,880G,890FX,970,990FX (Athlon II X3 460).
| Feature | Celeron N3450 | Athlon II X3 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1296 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | 2400+79900% | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 | 16 GB+209715100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 6 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Celeron N3450) vs AMD-V (Athlon II X3 460). The Celeron N3450 includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 500), while the Athlon II X3 460 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X3 460 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Celeron N3450 rivals AMD A4-9120.
| Feature | Celeron N3450 | Athlon II X3 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 500 | — |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | true | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
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