Athlon II X4 615e vs Core i7-920XM

Athlon II X4 615e vs Core i7-920XM Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 615e

4 / 4

2,018

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i7-920XM

4 / 8

2,014

0.0%

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 615e vs Core i7-920XM 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 615e vs Core i7-920XM: 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 615e

2010

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 45W instead of 55W, a 10W reduction.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-920XM.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $186 MSRP, while Core i7-920XM mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i7-920XM

2009

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,014 vs 2,018).
❌22.2% higher power demand at 55W vs 45W.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X4 615e.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X4 615e better than Core i7-920XM?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-920XM is ahead with a 1.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X4 615e pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X4 615e is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon II X4 615e is the better buy right now. Athlon II X4 615e comes in at an unclear MSRP at $186 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i7-920XM is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (10.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Athlon II X4 615e 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 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon II X4 615e vs Core i7-920XM Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X4 615e

The Athlon II X4 615e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 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: 2,018 points. Launch price was $59.

Core i7-920XM

The Core i7-920XM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 September 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Clarksfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 2,014 points. Launch price was $1,054.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 615e packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core i7-920XM's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Athlon II X4 615e versus 3.2 GHz on the Core i7-920XM — a 24.6% clock advantage for the Core i7-920XM (base: 2.5 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Athlon II X4 615e uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i7-920XM uses Clarksfield (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 615e scores 2,018 against the Core i7-920XM's 2,014 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon II X4 615e. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 615e vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-920XM.

Feature	Athlon II X4 615e	Core i7-920XM
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz	3.2 GHz+28%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz+25%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	8 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)+100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	45 nm
Architecture	Propus (2009−2011)	Clarksfield (2009−2010)
PassMark	2,018	2,014
Cinebench R23 Multi	1,161	—
Geekbench 6 Single	331	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,161	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 615e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-920XM uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Athlon II X4 615e supports up to 16 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AMD 870,AMD 880G,AMD 890FX,AMD 990FX (Athlon II X4 615e) and PM55,HM55,QM57 (Core i7-920XM).

Feature	Athlon II X4 615e	Core i7-920XM
Socket	AM3	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	1333
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB+100%	8 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

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Advanced Features

Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon II X4 615e) vs true (Core i7-920XM). Primary use case: Athlon II X4 615e targets Gaming. Direct competitor: Athlon II X4 615e rivals Intel Core 2 Quad Q8300; Core i7-920XM rivals Core i7-2720QM.