Athlon II X4 620e vs Pentium 8500
Athlon II X4 620e
Pentium 8500
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 620e is positioned at rank 605 and the Pentium 8500 is on rank 991, so the Athlon II X4 620e 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 620e
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 8500
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X4 620e | Pentium 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($40) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($200) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Propus (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | ✨ Modern (Alder Lake-U (2022) / Intel 7 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X4 620e | Pentium 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+401%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($40) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($200) |
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 620e and Pentium 8500
Athlon II X4 620e
The Athlon II X4 620e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. 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): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,906 points. Launch price was $149.
Pentium 8500
The Pentium 8500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Alder Lake-U (2022) architecture. It features 5 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 1 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 1.25 MB (per core). Built on Intel 7 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1781. Thermal design power (TDP): 9 Watt. Memory support: DDR4, DDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 2,900 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X4 620e packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium 8500 offers 5 cores / 6 threads — the Pentium 8500 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X4 620e versus 4.4 GHz on the Pentium 8500 — a 51.4% clock advantage for the Pentium 8500 (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1 GHz). The Athlon II X4 620e uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Pentium 8500 uses Alder Lake-U (2022) (Intel 7 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 620e scores 2,906 against the Pentium 8500's 2,900 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon II X4 620e. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 620e vs 8 MB (total) on the Pentium 8500.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 620e | Pentium 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 5 / 6+25% |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz | 4.4 GHz+69% |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz+160% | 1 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 8 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 1.25 MB (per core)+150% |
| Process | 45 nm | Intel 7 nm-84% |
| Architecture | Propus (2009−2011) | Alder Lake-U (2022) |
| PassMark | 2,906 | 2,900 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,250 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 2,100 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X4 620e uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 8500 uses FCBGA1781 (PCIe 5.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1333 on the Athlon II X4 620e versus LPDDR5-5200 on the Pentium 8500 — the Pentium 8500 supports 50% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Pentium 8500 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X4 620e) vs 14 (Pentium 8500) — the Pentium 8500 offers 14 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD AM3 (Athlon II X4 620e) and SoC (Pentium 8500).
| Feature | Athlon II X4 620e | Pentium 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FCBGA1781 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 5.0+150% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | LPDDR5-5200+67% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | 64 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 14 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II X4 620e) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Pentium 8500). The Pentium 8500 includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics (48 EU)), while the Athlon II X4 620e requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium 8500 targets Entry Level Laptop.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 620e | Pentium 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Intel UHD Graphics (48 EU) |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Entry Level Laptop |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II X4 620e launched at $99 MSRP, while the Pentium 8500 debuted at $200. At current prices ($40 vs $200), the Athlon II X4 620e is $160 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X4 620e delivers 72.7 pts/$ vs 14.5 pts/$ for the Pentium 8500 — making the Athlon II X4 620e the 133.4% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 620e | Pentium 8500 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $99-51% | $200 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $40-80% | $200 |
| Performance per Dollar | 72.7+401% | 14.5 |
| Release Date | 2011 | 2022 |
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