Final Words

We'll start with the good news first. The Athlon II X3 435, priced at $87, is a better buy than any of the similarly priced Intel dual-core processors. In heavily threaded applications it's even faster than the more expensive Core 2 Duo E7500. Compared to Intel, the X3 435 is a clear value leader.

The problem is compared to AMD, the Athlon II X3 435 isn't that impressive. The Athlon II X4 620 is faster in nearly every multithreaded benchmark, and it's only costs $12 more. It's only in games and other lightly threaded applications where the 435's higher default clock speed makes up for its lack of a fourth core.

The Athlon II X3 435 is about $15 more expensive than it should be to make sense in AMD's lineup. It's a great step between the dual and quad-core options, but if you need the performance you're probably better off with the 620.

You do get better overclocking potential (thanks to lower thermal output of only three cores), but bring overclocking into the mix and you can narrow the clock speed gap with an overclocked 620.

Compared to Intel, I like the Athlon II X3 435. Compared to AMD, I'd take a quad-core 620.

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  • maddoctor - Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - link

    Good, you have bought an Intel product, you will happy with it. I believe you will never buy AMD products, because their products are crap and can not win the benchmark.
  • bupkus - Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - link

    I have an AMD/ATI 4850 video card I bought a year and a half ago and it's working just fine. I don't expect Intel to have a competitive offering for a long time.
  • maddoctor - Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - link

    It will change with Larrabee. I believe you will buy Intel Larrabee, because simple choice will make you happy with Intel standards.
  • maddoctor - Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - link

    Yeah, I want it soon. Intel will crush them in the low end segment too. I want Intel own all PC Market if Intel have been successfully made AMD's cash empty. AMD is whine too much, so Intel must punish AMD until dead.
  • bersl2 - Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - link

    Successful troll is successful.
  • kiwik - Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - link

    I, for one, welcome our new Intel Overlords.
  • stmok - Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - link

    Look everyone! Its maddoctor! The counter-twin to snakeoil!
  • Shilohen - Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - link

    Ohh, I've never read anything from snakeoil yet so I was seeing him more like Intel's SiliconDoc.
  • Eeqmcsq - Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - link

    Boy, you're not kidding. Put those two together and there be fireworks.
  • RubberJohnny - Tuesday, October 20, 2009 - link

    It probably is snakeoil, he leaves out a couple of words here and there to make it sound like he comes from some non english speaking country instead of his mums basement...

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