Athlon II X4 631 vs Core i5-4250U
Athlon II X4 631
Core i5-4250U
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 631 is positioned at rank 651 and the Core i5-4250U is on rank 100, so the Core i5-4250U 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 631
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-4250U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X4 631 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Balanced gaming performance | Balanced gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X4 631 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| 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 631 and Core i5-4250U
Athlon II X4 631
The Athlon II X4 631 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) 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: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 100 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,118 points. Launch price was $149.
Core i5-4250U
The Core i5-4250U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 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: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,144 points. Launch price was $430.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X4 631 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-4250U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 631 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X4 631 versus 2.6 GHz on the Core i5-4250U — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.6 GHz vs 1.3 GHz). The Athlon II X4 631 uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i5-4250U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 631 scores 2,118 against the Core i5-4250U's 2,144 — a 1.2% lead for the Core i5-4250U. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 631 vs 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-4250U.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 631 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz | 2.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz+100% | 1.3 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 3 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core)+300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 22 nm-31% |
| Architecture | Llano (2011−2012) | Haswell (2013−2015) |
| PassMark | 2,118 | 2,144+1% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 770 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,450 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X4 631 uses the FM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-4250U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1866 memory speed. The Athlon II X4 631 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Athlon II X4 631) vs 12 (Core i5-4250U) — the Athlon II X4 631 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD FM1 (Athlon II X4 631) and Haswell-ULT (Core i5-4250U).
| Feature | Athlon II X4 631 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FM1 | FCBGA1168 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1866 | DDR3L-1600 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB+300% | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+33% | 12 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II X4 631) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-4250U). The Core i5-4250U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 5000), while the Athlon II X4 631 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4250U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i5-4250U rivals Ryzen 3 3200U.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 631 | Core i5-4250U |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics 5000 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x, VT-d |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
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