Athlon II X4 620 vs Core i7-840QM
Athlon II X4 620
Core i7-840QM
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon II X4 620 is positioned at rank 789 and the Core i7-840QM is on rank 812, so the Athlon II X4 620 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X4 620
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-840QM
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X4 620 | Core i7-840QM |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Propus (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Clarksfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X4 620 | Core i7-840QM |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon II X4 620 and Core i7-840QM
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 i7-840QM
The Core i7-840QM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 June 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarksfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.86 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): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,025 points. Launch price was $568.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X4 620 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core i7-840QM's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X4 620 versus 3.2 GHz on the Core i7-840QM — a 20.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-840QM (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1.86 GHz). The Athlon II X4 620 uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i7-840QM uses Clarksfield (2009−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 620 scores 2,026 against the Core i7-840QM's 2,025 — a 0% lead for the Athlon II X4 620. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 620 vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-840QM.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 620 | Core i7-840QM |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 8 |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz | 3.2 GHz+23% |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz+40% | 1.86 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 | 2,026 | 2,025 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 390 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,050 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X4 620 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-840QM uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Athlon II X4 620 supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X4 620) vs 16 (Core i7-840QM) — the Core i7-840QM offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD AM3 (Athlon II X4 620) and PM55,HM55,QM57,HM57 (Core i7-840QM).
| Feature | Athlon II X4 620 | Core i7-840QM |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | PGA988 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB+300% | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II X4 620) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-840QM). Primary use case: Core i7-840QM targets Laptop.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 620 | Core i7-840QM |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Laptop |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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