AMD FX-6120 vs AMD Athlon II X3 420e

Comparative analysis of AMD FX-6120 and AMD Athlon II X3 420e processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core.

 

Differences

Reasons to consider the AMD FX-6120

  • CPU is newer: launch date 2 year(s) 0 month(s) later
  • Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
  • 3 more cores, run more applications at once: 6 vs 3
  • Around 38% higher clock speed: 3.6 GHz vs 2.6 GHz
  • A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
  • 4x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
  • Around 34% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1414 vs 1058
  • 2.5x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 3899 vs 1557
Specifications (specs)
Launch date October 2012 vs September 2010
Unlocked Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores 6 vs 3
Maximum frequency 3.6 GHz vs 2.6 GHz
Manufacturing process technology 32 nm vs 45 nm
L2 cache 6144 KB vs 512 KB (per core)
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark 1414 vs 1058
PassMark - CPU mark 3899 vs 1557

Reasons to consider the AMD Athlon II X3 420e

  • Around 33% more L1 cache; more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
  • 2.1x lower typical power consumption: 45 Watt vs 95 Watt
L1 cache 128 KB (per core) vs 288 KB
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 45 Watt vs 95 Watt

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: AMD FX-6120
CPU 2: AMD Athlon II X3 420e

PassMark - Single thread mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
1414
1058
PassMark - CPU mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
3899
1557
Name AMD FX-6120 AMD Athlon II X3 420e
PassMark - Single thread mark 1414 1058
PassMark - CPU mark 3899 1557
Geekbench 4 - Single Core 483
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core 1798

Compare specifications (specs)

AMD FX-6120 AMD Athlon II X3 420e

Essentials

Architecture codename Zambezi Rana
Launch date October 2012 September 2010
Place in performance rating 2205 2209
Vertical segment Desktop Desktop
Launch price (MSRP) $116
Price now $116.15
Value for money (0-100) 5.80

Performance

64 bit support
Die size 315 mm 169 mm
L1 cache 288 KB 128 KB (per core)
L2 cache 6144 KB 512 KB (per core)
L3 cache 8192 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology 32 nm 45 nm
Maximum frequency 3.6 GHz 2.6 GHz
Number of cores 6 3
Transistor count 1200 million 300 million
Unlocked

Memory

Supported memory types DDR3 DDR3

Compatibility

Max number of CPUs in a configuration 1 1
Sockets supported AM3+ AM3
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 95 Watt 45 Watt

Advanced Technologies

Fused Multiply-Add (FMA)
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions

Virtualization

AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)