Athlon II X4 620 vs Core i5-3317U

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Athlon II X4 620

2009

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 95W instead of 512W, a 417W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $99 MSRP, while Core i5-3317U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-3317U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-3317U

2012

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics 4000, while Athlon II X4 620 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II X4 620 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,014 vs 2,026).
❌438.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 95W.

Athlon II X4 620

2009

Core i5-3317U

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 95W instead of 512W, a 417W reduction.

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics 4000, while Athlon II X4 620 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $99 MSRP, while Core i5-3317U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-3317U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II X4 620 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,014 vs 2,026).
❌438.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 95W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X4 620 better than Core i5-3317U?

Yes. Athlon II X4 620 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 5.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.6% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon II X4 620 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 5.2% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X4 620 is the better fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon II X4 620 is the smarter buy today. Athlon II X4 620 is at an unclear MSRP at $99 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 5.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (20.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Core i5-3317U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Athlon II X4 620 Benchmark Check

Core i5-3317U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Athlon II X4 620	Core i5-3317U
1080p
low	51 FPS	50 FPS
medium	51 FPS	50 FPS
high	51 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	50 FPS
1440p
low	51 FPS	50 FPS
medium	51 FPS	50 FPS
high	51 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	50 FPS
4K
low	51 FPS	50 FPS
medium	51 FPS	50 FPS
high	44 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	34 FPS

Open Athlon II X4 620 Open Core i5-3317U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Athlon II X4 620	Core i5-3317U
1080p
low	51 FPS	50 FPS
medium	51 FPS	50 FPS
high	51 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	44 FPS
1440p
low	51 FPS	50 FPS
medium	51 FPS	50 FPS
high	51 FPS	49 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	39 FPS
4K
low	51 FPS	43 FPS
medium	51 FPS	38 FPS
high	51 FPS	28 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	20 FPS

Open Athlon II X4 620 Open Core i5-3317U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Athlon II X4 620	Core i5-3317U
1080p
low	51 FPS	50 FPS
medium	51 FPS	50 FPS
high	51 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	50 FPS
1440p
low	51 FPS	50 FPS
medium	51 FPS	50 FPS
high	51 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	50 FPS
4K
low	51 FPS	50 FPS
medium	51 FPS	50 FPS
high	51 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	50 FPS

Open Athlon II X4 620 Open Core i5-3317U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Athlon II X4 620	Core i5-3317U
1080p
low	51 FPS	50 FPS
medium	51 FPS	50 FPS
high	51 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	50 FPS
1440p
low	51 FPS	50 FPS
medium	51 FPS	50 FPS
high	51 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	50 FPS
4K
low	51 FPS	50 FPS
medium	51 FPS	50 FPS
high	51 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	51 FPS	50 FPS

Open Athlon II X4 620 Open Core i5-3317U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Athlon II X4 620 and Core i5-3317U

Athlon II X4 620

The Athlon II X4 620 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 16 September 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,026 points. Launch price was $65.

Core i5-3317U

The Core i5-3317U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 June 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3/L/-RS 1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 2,014 points. Launch price was $225.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 620 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-3317U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 620 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X4 620 versus 2.6 GHz on the Core i5-3317U — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Athlon II X4 620 uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i5-3317U uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 620 scores 2,026 against the Core i5-3317U's 2,014 — a 0.6% lead for the Athlon II X4 620. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 620 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-3317U.

Feature	Athlon II X4 620	Core i5-3317U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz	2.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+53%	1.7 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Propus (2009−2011)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	2,026	2,014

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 620 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-3317U uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X4 620 versus 1600 on the Core i5-3317U — the Core i5-3317U supports 199.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X4 620) vs 16 (Core i5-3317U) — the Core i5-3317U offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD AM3 (Athlon II X4 620) and HM76,UM77,QM77,QS77 (Core i5-3317U).

Feature	Athlon II X4 620	Core i5-3317U
Socket	AM3	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	1600+53233%
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB+104857500%	32
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	16

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II X4 620) / true (Core i5-3317U). The Core i5-3317U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the Athlon II X4 620 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i5-3317U rivals AMD A8-4555M.