Phenom II X4 920 vs Core i3-5020U
Phenom II X4 920
Core i3-5020U
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 X4 920 is positioned at rank 289 and the Core i3-5020U is on rank 598, so the Phenom II X4 920 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 X4 920
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-5020U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Phenom II X4 920 | Core i3-5020U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Deneb (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Phenom II X4 920 | Core i3-5020U |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
League of Legends
Valorant
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Phenom II X4 920 and Core i3-5020U
Phenom II X4 920
The Phenom II X4 920 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 8 January 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,202 points. Launch price was $90.
Core i3-5020U
The Core i3-5020U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,232 points. Launch price was $281.
Processing Power
The Phenom II X4 920 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i3-5020U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 920 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Phenom II X4 920 versus 2.2 GHz on the Core i3-5020U — a 24% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 920 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Phenom II X4 920 uses the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-5020U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom II X4 920 scores 2,202 against the Core i3-5020U's 2,232 — a 1.4% lead for the Core i3-5020U. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 920 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i3-5020U.
| Feature | Phenom II X4 920 | Core i3-5020U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz+27% | 2.2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz+27% | 2.2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB (total)+100% | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core)+100% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 45 nm | 14 nm-69% |
| Architecture | Deneb (2009−2011) | Broadwell-U (2015) |
| PassMark | 2,202 | 2,232+1% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 600 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,200 |
Memory & Platform
The Phenom II X4 920 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-5020U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Phenom II X4 920 | Core i3-5020U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | 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 X4 920) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-5020U). The Core i3-5020U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 5500), while the Phenom II X4 920 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-5020U targets Mainstream Laptop.
| Feature | Phenom II X4 920 | Core i3-5020U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel HD Graphics 5500 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Mainstream Laptop |
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