Phenom II X3 N870 vs Core i5-4250U
Phenom II X3 N870
Core i5-4250U
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 Phenom II X3 N870 is positioned at rank 250 and the Core i5-4250U is on rank 100, so the Core i5-4250U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X3 N870
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-4250U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Phenom II X3 N870 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Phenom II X3 N870 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
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 Phenom II X3 N870 and Core i5-4250U
Phenom II X3 N870
The Phenom II X3 N870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,145 points. Launch price was $149.
Core i5-4250U
The Core i5-4250U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,144 points. Launch price was $430.
Processing Power
The Phenom II X3 N870 packs 3 cores / 3 threads, while the Core i5-4250U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X3 N870 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Phenom II X3 N870 versus 2.6 GHz on the Core i5-4250U — a 12.2% clock advantage for the Core i5-4250U. The Phenom II X3 N870 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-4250U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom II X3 N870 scores 2,145 against the Core i5-4250U's 2,144 — a 0% lead for the Phenom II X3 N870.
| Feature | Phenom II X3 N870 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 3 / 3+50% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.3 GHz | 2.6 GHz+13% |
| Base Clock | — | 1.3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1.5 MB+500% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 22 nm-51% |
| Architecture | Champlain (2010−2011) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 2,145 | 2,144 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 770 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,450 |
Memory & Platform
The Phenom II X3 N870 uses the S1g4 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-4250U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Phenom II X3 N870 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1g4 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 12 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Phenom II X3 N870) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-4250U). The Core i5-4250U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 5000), while the Phenom II X3 N870 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4250U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i5-4250U rivals Ryzen 3 3200U.
| Feature | Phenom II X3 N870 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics 5000 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
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