Athlon II X4 620 vs Core M-5Y51

Athlon II X4 620 vs Core M-5Y51 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 620

4 / 4

2,026

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core M-5Y51

2 / 4

2,030

+0.2%

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 620 vs Core M-5Y51 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 620 vs Core M-5Y51: 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 620

2009

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $182 less on MSRP ($99 MSRP vs $281 MSRP).
✅Delivers 183.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 20.5 vs 7.2 PassMark/$ ($99 MSRP vs $281 MSRP).
✅Draws 95W instead of 512W, a 417W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,026 vs 2,030).

Core M-5Y51

2014

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II X4 620 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.2 vs 20.5 PassMark/$ ($281 MSRP vs $99 MSRP).
❌438.9% higher power demand at 512W vs 95W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X4 620 better than Core M-5Y51?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X4 620 is ahead with a 3.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core M-5Y51 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, Core M-5Y51 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon II X4 620 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X4 620 comes in $182 cheaper on MSRP at $99 MSRP versus $281 MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Core M-5Y51 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.2% better PassMark. It is also 183.3% better value on MSRP (20.5 vs 7.2 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core M-5Y51 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 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 620 vs Core M-5Y51 Technical Specifications

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

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 M-5Y51

The Core M-5Y51 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 27 October 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-Y (2014) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1234. Thermal design power (TDP): 4.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,030 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 620 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core M-5Y51 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 M-5Y51 — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Athlon II X4 620 uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core M-5Y51 uses Broadwell-Y (2014) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 620 scores 2,026 against the Core M-5Y51's 2,030 — a 0.2% lead for the Core M-5Y51. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 620 vs 4 MB (total) on the Core M-5Y51.

Feature	Athlon II X4 620	Core M-5Y51
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.6 GHz	2.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.6 GHz+136%	1.1 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	45 nm	14 nm-69%
Architecture	Propus (2009−2011)	Broadwell-Y (2014)
PassMark	2,026	2,030

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 620 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core M-5Y51 uses FCBGA1234 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II X4 620	Core M-5Y51
Socket	AM3	FCBGA1234
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	0	—

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X4 620 was priced at $99, while the Core M-5Y51 came in at $281. On launch pricing ($99 vs $281), Athlon II X4 620 was $182 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X4 620 delivers 20.5 pts/$ vs 7.2 pts/$ for the Core M-5Y51 — making the Athlon II X4 620 the 95.6% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X4 620	Core M-5Y51
MSRP	$99-65%	$281
Performance per Dollar	20.5+185%	7.2
Release Date	2009	2014

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