A6-7310 vs Athlon II X4 740

A6-7310 vs Athlon II X4 740 Performance Spectrum

A6-7310

4 / 4

2,689

+0.4%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Athlon II X4 740

4 / 4

2,677

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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.

A6-7310 vs Athlon II X4 740 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

A6-7310 vs Athlon II X4 740: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

A6-7310

2015

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 2W instead of 65W, a 63W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R4 Graphics, while Athlon II X4 740 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Athlon II X4 740

2012

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,677 vs 2,689).
❌Launch MSRP is still $71 MSRP, while A6-7310 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.
❌No integrated graphics, while A6-7310 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is A6-7310 better than Athlon II X4 740?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X4 740 is ahead with a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, A6-7310 pulls ahead with 0.4% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, A6-7310 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

A6-7310 is still the much better call for a fresh build. A6-7310 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $71 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.4% better PassMark. Athlon II X4 740 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2012 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (37.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on FM2.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

A6-7310 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2012) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

A6-7310 vs Athlon II X4 740 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

A6-7310

The A6-7310 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Carrizo-L (2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3L-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 2,689 points. Launch price was $70.

Athlon II X4 740

The Athlon II X4 740 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 October 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Piledriver architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,677 points. Launch price was $71.

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Processing Power

Both the A6-7310 and Athlon II X4 740 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the A6-7310 versus 3.7 GHz on the Athlon II X4 740 — a 42.6% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 740 (base: 2 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The A6-7310 uses the Carrizo-L (2015) architecture (28 nm), while the Athlon II X4 740 uses Piledriver (32 nm). In PassMark, the A6-7310 scores 2,689 against the Athlon II X4 740's 2,677 — a 0.4% lead for the A6-7310.

Feature	A6-7310	Athlon II X4 740
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	2.4 GHz	3.7 GHz+54%
Base Clock	2 GHz	3.2 GHz+60%
L2 Cache	2048 kB	4 MB+100%
Process	28 nm-13%	32 nm
Architecture	Carrizo-L (2015)	Piledriver
PassMark	2,689	2,677

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Memory & Platform

The A6-7310 uses the FP4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II X4 740 uses FM2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1600 on the A6-7310 versus DDR3-1866 on the Athlon II X4 740 — the Athlon II X4 740 supports 16.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X4 740 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (A6-7310) vs 2 (Athlon II X4 740). Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: FT3b,FP4 (A6-7310) and AMD FM2 (Athlon II X4 740).

Feature	A6-7310	Athlon II X4 740
Socket	FP4	FM2
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1600	DDR3-1866+17%
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	64 GB+300%
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (A6-7310) / not specified (Athlon II X4 740). The A6-7310 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R4 Graphics), while the Athlon II X4 740 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: A6-7310 rivals Pentium N3700.