Athlon II X4 620 vs Phenom II X4 905e

AMD

Athlon II X4 620

4 Cores4 Thrd95 WWMax: 2.6 GHz2009
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Phenom II X4 905e

4 Cores4 Thrd65 WWMax: 2.5 GHz2009
Similar parts
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Athlon II X4 620 vs Phenom II X4 905e 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 620 vs Phenom II X4 905e 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 Phenom II X4 905e: 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: +4.2% higher average FPS across 27 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $99 MSRP, while Phenom II X4 905e mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 46.2% higher power demand at 95W vs 65W.

Phenom II X4 905e

2009

Why buy it

  • Draws 65W instead of 95W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II X4 620 across 27 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (2,014 vs 2,026).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X4 620 better than Phenom II X4 905e?
Yes. Athlon II X4 620 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.2% average FPS lead across 27 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.6% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Athlon II X4 620 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.2% more average FPS across 27 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 stronger 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 better buy right now. Athlon II X4 620 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $99 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.2% average FPS lead across 27 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (20.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 620 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 4 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 Phenom II X4 905e Technical Specifications

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

AMD

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.

AMD

Phenom II X4 905e

The Phenom II X4 905e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 June 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Deneb (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: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,014 points. Launch price was $212.

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II X4 620 and Phenom II X4 905e share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X4 620 versus 2.5 GHz on the Phenom II X4 905e — a 3.9% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 620 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Athlon II X4 620 uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X4 905e uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 620 scores 2,026 against the Phenom II X4 905e's 2,014 — a 0.6% lead for the Athlon II X4 620. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 620 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 905e.

FeatureAthlon II X4 620Phenom II X4 905e
Cores / Threads
4 / 4
4 / 4
Boost Clock
2.6 GHz+4%
2.5 GHz
Base Clock
2.6 GHz+4%
2.5 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
6 MB (total)
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)
512 kB (per core)
Process
45 nm
45 nm
Architecture
Propus (2009−2011)
Deneb (2009−2011)
PassMark
2,026
2,014
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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the AM3 socket with PCIe 2.0.

FeatureAthlon II X4 620Phenom II X4 905e
Socket
AM3
AM3
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
0