CPU
GPU
Core i3-4120U
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 Core i3-4120U is positioned at rank 129 and the Athlon II X3 460 is on rank 734, 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 460
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-4120U | Athlon II X3 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| 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 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 Core i3-4120U and Athlon II X3 460
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 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 Core i3-4120U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon II X3 460 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Athlon II X3 460 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Core i3-4120U versus 3.4 GHz on the Athlon II X3 460 — a 51.9% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 460 (base: 2 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i3-4120U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Athlon II X3 460 uses Rana (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-4120U scores 1,948 against the Athlon II X3 460's 1,965 — a 0.9% lead for the Athlon II X3 460. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 462 vs 384, a 18.4% lead for the Core i3-4120U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,071 vs 944 (12.6% advantage for the Core i3-4120U). L3 cache: 3 MB on the Core i3-4120U vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 460.
| Feature | Core i3-4120U | Athlon II X3 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 3.4 GHz+70% |
| Base Clock | 2 GHz | 3.4 GHz+70% |
| 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 | 1,965 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 462+20% | 384 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,071+13% | 944 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-4120U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II X3 460 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3L-1600 memory speed. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 12 (Core i3-4120U) vs 0 (Athlon II X3 460) — the Core i3-4120U offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM86,HM87 (Core i3-4120U) and 760G,770,785G,790FX,870,880G,890FX,970,990FX (Athlon II X3 460).
| Feature | Core i3-4120U | Athlon II X3 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization support: Yes (Core i3-4120U) vs AMD-V (Athlon II X3 460). The Core i3-4120U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4400), while the Athlon II X3 460 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon II X3 460 targets Budget.
| Feature | Core i3-4120U | Athlon II X3 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics 4400 | — |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | Yes | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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