Athlon II X4 635 vs Celeron N6211

AMD

Athlon II X4 635

4 Cores4 Thrd95 WWMax: 2.9 GHz2010
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Celeron N6211

2 Cores2 Thrd1.5 WWMax: 3 GHz2022
Similar parts
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Athlon II X4 635 vs Celeron N6211 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 635 vs Celeron N6211 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 635 vs Celeron N6211: 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 635

2010

Why buy it

  • +0.1% higher PassMark.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Celeron N6211.

Trade-offs

  • Launch MSRP is still $400 MSRP, while Celeron N6211 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 6233.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 1.5W.

Celeron N6211

2022

Why buy it

  • Draws 2W instead of 95W, a 94W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (2,245 vs 2,248).
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X4 635.

Quick Answers

So, is Celeron N6211 better than Athlon II X4 635?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Celeron N6211 is ahead with a 0.6% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X4 635 pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X4 635 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Celeron N6211 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Celeron N6211 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $400 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.6% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon II X4 635 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (5.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on AM3.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Celeron N6211 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2010). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X4 635 vs Celeron N6211 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon II X4 635

The Athlon II X4 635 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 25 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.9 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: 2,248 points. Launch price was $70.

Intel

Celeron N6211

The Celeron N6211 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 17 July 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Elkhart Lake (2022) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.2 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 10 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1493. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,245 points. Launch price was $54.

Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 635 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Celeron N6211 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon II X4 635 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Athlon II X4 635 versus 3 GHz on the Celeron N6211 — a 3.4% clock advantage for the Celeron N6211 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 1.2 GHz). The Athlon II X4 635 uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron N6211 uses Elkhart Lake (2022) (10 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 635 scores 2,248 against the Celeron N6211's 2,245 — a 0.1% lead for the Athlon II X4 635.

FeatureAthlon II X4 635Celeron N6211
Cores / Threads
4 / 4+100%
2 / 2
Boost Clock
2.9 GHz
3 GHz+3%
Base Clock
2.9 GHz+142%
1.2 GHz
L3 Cache
0 kB
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)
1.5 MB+200%
Process
45 nm
10 nm-78%
Architecture
Propus (2009−2011)
Elkhart Lake (2022)
PassMark
2,248
2,245
Cinebench R23 Multi
658
Geekbench 6 Single
180
Geekbench 6 Multi
550
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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 635 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron N6211 uses BGA1493 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureAthlon II X4 635Celeron N6211
Socket
AM3
BGA1493
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 4.0+100%
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1333 / DDR2-1066
Max RAM Capacity
16 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
No
PCIe Lanes
16
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Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X4 635) / not specified (Celeron N6211). Primary use case: Athlon II X4 635 targets Budget.

FeatureAthlon II X4 635Celeron N6211
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
Yes
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Budget