Athlon II X4 605e vs Core i5-470UM

AMD

Athlon II X4 605e

4 Cores4 Thrd45 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2009
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Core i5-470UM

2 Cores4 Thrd18 WWMax: 1.86 GHz2010
Similar parts
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Athlon II X4 605e vs Core i5-470UM Performance Spectrum

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.

Athlon II X4 605e vs Core i5-470UM 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.

Athlon II X4 605e vs Core i5-470UM: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon II X4 605e

2009

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +4.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (AMD Stock), unlike Core i5-470UM.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (1,964 vs 1,973).
  • Launch MSRP is still $143 MSRP, while Core i5-470UM mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 150% higher power demand at 45W vs 18W.

Core i5-470UM

2010

Why buy it

  • +0.5% higher PassMark.
  • Draws 18W instead of 45W, a 27W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II X4 605e across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X4 605e.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-470UM better than Athlon II X4 605e?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X4 605e is ahead with a 4.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-470UM pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-470UM is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Core i5-470UM is still the much better call for a fresh build. Core i5-470UM comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $143 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better PassMark. Athlon II X4 605e only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2009 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (13.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on AM3.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Core i5-470UM makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 2 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.

Athlon II X4 605e vs Core i5-470UM Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon II X4 605e

The Athlon II X4 605e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 October 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,964 points. Launch price was $102.

Intel

Core i5-470UM

The Core i5-470UM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 October 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Arrandale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.33 GHz, with boost up to 1.86 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1288. Thermal design power (TDP): 18 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,973 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 605e packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-470UM offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 605e has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Athlon II X4 605e versus 1.86 GHz on the Core i5-470UM — a 21.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 605e (base: 2.3 GHz vs 1.33 GHz). The Athlon II X4 605e uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-470UM uses Arrandale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 605e scores 1,964 against the Core i5-470UM's 1,973 — a 0.5% lead for the Core i5-470UM. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 605e vs 3 MB on the Core i5-470UM.

FeatureAthlon II X4 605eCore i5-470UM
Cores / Threads
4 / 4+100%
2 / 4
Boost Clock
2.3 GHz+24%
1.86 GHz
Base Clock
2.3 GHz+73%
1.33 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
3 MB
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)
512 kB
Process
45 nm
32 nm-29%
Architecture
Propus (2009−2011)
Arrandale (2010−2011)
PassMark
1,964
1,973
Cinebench R23 Multi
1,140
Geekbench 6 Single
300
Geekbench 6 Multi
1,069
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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 605e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-470UM uses BGA1288 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureAthlon II X4 605eCore i5-470UM
Socket
AM3
BGA1288
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity
32 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
No
PCIe Lanes
16
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Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X4 605e) / not specified (Core i5-470UM). Primary use case: Athlon II X4 605e targets Desktop.

FeatureAthlon II X4 605eCore i5-470UM
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Desktop