CPU
GPU
Core i3-4000M
Athlon II X4 600e
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 Core i3-4000M is positioned at rank 501 and the Athlon II X4 600e is on rank 842, so the Core i3-4000M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-4000M
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X4 600e
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-4000M | Athlon II X4 600e |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Propus (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-4000M | Athlon II X4 600e |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) |
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 Core i3-4000M and Athlon II X4 600e
Core i3-4000M
The Core i3-4000M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA946. Thermal design power (TDP): 37 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,797 points. Launch price was $225.
Athlon II X4 600e
The Athlon II X4 600e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 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: 1,795 points. Launch price was $130.
Processing Power
The Core i3-4000M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon II X4 600e offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 600e has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Core i3-4000M versus 2.2 GHz on the Athlon II X4 600e — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Core i3-4000M (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Core i3-4000M uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Athlon II X4 600e uses Propus (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-4000M scores 1,797 against the Athlon II X4 600e's 1,795 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i3-4000M. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-4000M vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 600e.
| Feature | Core i3-4000M | Athlon II X4 600e |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2.4 GHz+9% | 2.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz+9% | 2.2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 22 nm-51% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Propus (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,797 | 1,795 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-4000M uses the PGA946 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II X4 600e uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i3-4000M | Athlon II X4 600e |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA946 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core i3-4000M) / AMD-V (Athlon II X4 600e).
| Feature | Core i3-4000M | Athlon II X4 600e |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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