Pentium G3420 vs Athlon II X4 620
Pentium G3420
Athlon II X4 620
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 Pentium G3420 is positioned at rank 714 and the Athlon II X4 620 is on rank 789, so the Pentium G3420 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G3420
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X4 620
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium G3420 | Athlon II X4 620 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($40) | ✅ More affordable ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Propus (2009−2011) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium G3420 | Athlon II X4 620 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+167%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($40) | ✅ More affordable ($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 Pentium G3420 and Athlon II X4 620
Pentium G3420
The Pentium G3420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 53 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,022 points. Launch price was $252.
Athlon II X4 620
The Athlon II X4 620 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 16 September 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 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: 2,026 points. Launch price was $65.
Processing Power
The Pentium G3420 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Athlon II X4 620 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 620 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Pentium G3420 versus 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X4 620 — a 20.7% clock advantage for the Pentium G3420 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Pentium G3420 uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Athlon II X4 620 uses Propus (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium G3420 scores 2,022 against the Athlon II X4 620's 2,026 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon II X4 620. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Pentium G3420 vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 620.
| Feature | Pentium G3420 | Athlon II X4 620 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz+23% | 2.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+23% | 2.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 512 kB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 22 nm-51% | 45 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Propus (2009−2011) |
| PassMark | 2,022 | 2,026 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium G3420 uses the LGA1150 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II X4 620 uses AM3 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium G3420 | Athlon II X4 620 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1150 | AM3 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 32 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 0 |
Value Analysis
The Pentium G3420 launched at $86 MSRP, while the Athlon II X4 620 debuted at $99. At current prices ($40 vs $15), the Athlon II X4 620 is $25 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Pentium G3420 delivers 50.5 pts/$ vs 135.1 pts/$ for the Athlon II X4 620 — making the Athlon II X4 620 the 91.1% better value option.
| Feature | Pentium G3420 | Athlon II X4 620 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $86-13% | $99 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $40 | $15-63% |
| Performance per Dollar | 50.5 | 135.1+168% |
| Release Date | 2013 | 2009 |
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