Core i7-620M vs Athlon II X3 460
Core i7-620M
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 i7-620M is positioned at rank 262 and the Athlon II X3 460 is on rank 734, so the Core i7-620M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-620M
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X3 460
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-620M | 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 (Arrandale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Rana (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-620M | 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 i7-620M and Athlon II X3 460
Core i7-620M
The Core i7-620M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 GHz, with boost up to 3.33 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,976 points. Launch price was $332.
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 i7-620M 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 3.33 GHz on the Core i7-620M versus 3.4 GHz on the Athlon II X3 460 — a 2.1% clock advantage for the Athlon II X3 460 (base: 2.66 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Core i7-620M uses the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon II X3 460 uses Rana (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-620M scores 1,976 against the Athlon II X3 460's 1,965 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i7-620M. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 350 vs 384, a 9.3% lead for the Athlon II X3 460 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 800 vs 944 (16.5% advantage for the Athlon II X3 460). L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-620M vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X3 460.
| Feature | Core i7-620M | Athlon II X3 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 3 / 3+50% |
| Boost Clock | 3.33 GHz | 3.4 GHz+2% |
| Base Clock | 2.66 GHz | 3.4 GHz+28% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 32 nm-29% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Arrandale (2010−2011) | Rana (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 1,976 | 1,965 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 350 | 384+10% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 800 | 944+18% |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-620M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X3 460 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1066 memory speed. The Athlon II X3 460 supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Core i7-620M) vs 0 (Athlon II X3 460) — the Core i7-620M offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: HM55,QM57,HM57,QS57 (Core i7-620M) and 760G,770,785G,790FX,870,880G,890FX,970,990FX (Athlon II X3 460).
| Feature | Core i7-620M | Athlon II X3 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | PGA988 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1066 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 8 GB | 16 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 0 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-620M) vs AMD-V (Athlon II X3 460). The Core i7-620M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics), while the Athlon II X3 460 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-620M targets Performance Laptop, Athlon II X3 460 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i7-620M rivals Core 2 Duo T9600.
| Feature | Core i7-620M | Athlon II X3 460 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Intel HD Graphics | — |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | AMD-V |
| Target Use | Performance Laptop | Budget |
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