CPU
GPU
Core i3-4120U
Athlon II X3 455
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 i3-4120U is positioned at rank 129 and the Athlon II X3 455 is on rank 750, so the Core i3-4120U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-4120U
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X3 455
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-4120U | Athlon II X3 455 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-4120U | Athlon II X3 455 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Core i3-4120U and Athlon II X3 455
Core i3-4120U
The Core i3-4120U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,948 points. Launch price was $281.
Athlon II X3 455
The Athlon II X3 455 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 December 2010 (14 years ago). It is based on the Rana (2009−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 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: 1,938 points. Launch price was $88.
Processing Power
The Core i3-4120U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon II X3 455 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Athlon II X3 455 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Core i3-4120U versus 3.3 GHz on the Athlon II X3 455 — a 49.1% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 455 (base: 2 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Core i3-4120U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Athlon II X3 455 uses Rana (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-4120U scores 1,948 against the Athlon II X3 455's 1,938 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i3-4120U. L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i3-4120U vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 455.
| Feature | Core i3-4120U | Athlon II X3 455 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 3.3 GHz+65% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | 3.3 GHz+65% |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 22 nm-51% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Rana (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,948 | 1,938 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 462 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,071 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-4120U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II X3 455 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3L-1600 memory speed. The Athlon II X3 455 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 12 (Core i3-4120U) vs 0 (Athlon II X3 455) — the Core i3-4120U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM86,HM87 (Core i3-4120U) and AMD AM3 (Athlon II X3 455).
| Feature | Core i3-4120U | Athlon II X3 455 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 32 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: Yes (Core i3-4120U) / not specified (Athlon II X3 455). The Core i3-4120U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4400), while the Athlon II X3 455 requires a dedicated GPU.
| Feature | Core i3-4120U | Athlon II X3 455 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 4400 | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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