Athlon II X4 635 vs Phenom II X4 925

AMD

Athlon II X4 635

4 Cores4 Thrd95 WWMax: 2.9 GHz2010
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Phenom II X4 925

4 Cores4 Thrd95 WWMax: 2.8 GHz2009
Similar parts
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Athlon II X4 635 vs Phenom II X4 925 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 Phenom II X4 925 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 Phenom II X4 925: 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

  • Better for gaming: +3.2% higher average FPS across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Phenom II X4 925.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (2,248 vs 2,261).
  • Launch MSRP is still $400 MSRP, while Phenom II X4 925 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Phenom II X4 925

2009

Why buy it

  • +0.6% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II X4 635 across 47 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X4 635.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X4 635 better than Phenom II X4 925?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X4 635 is ahead with a 3.2% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X4 925 pulls ahead with 0.6% better PassMark.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Phenom II X4 925 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 635 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X4 635 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $400 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.2% average FPS lead across 47 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Phenom II X4 925 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.6% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (5.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 635 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2010 vs 2009). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X4 635 vs Phenom II X4 925 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.

AMD

Phenom II X4 925

The Phenom II X4 925 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 May 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). 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: 2,261 points. Launch price was $160.

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II X4 635 and Phenom II X4 925 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Athlon II X4 635 versus 2.8 GHz on the Phenom II X4 925 — a 3.5% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 635 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Athlon II X4 635 uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Phenom II X4 925 uses Deneb (2009−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 635 scores 2,248 against the Phenom II X4 925's 2,261 — a 0.6% lead for the Phenom II X4 925. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 635 vs 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 925.

FeatureAthlon II X4 635Phenom II X4 925
Cores / Threads
4 / 4
4 / 4
Boost Clock
2.9 GHz+4%
2.8 GHz
Base Clock
2.9 GHz+4%
2.8 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
2,248
2,261
Cinebench R23 Multi
658
Geekbench 6 Single
180
Geekbench 6 Multi
550
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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the AM3 socket with PCIe 2.0.

FeatureAthlon II X4 635Phenom II X4 925
Socket
AM3
AM3
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 2.0
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 (Phenom II X4 925). Primary use case: Athlon II X4 635 targets Budget.

FeatureAthlon II X4 635Phenom II X4 925
Integrated GPU
No
Unlocked
Yes
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Budget