Athlon II X4 635 vs Xeon X5472

AMD

Athlon II X4 635

4 Cores4 Thrd95 WWMax: 2.9 GHz2010
VS
Intel

Xeon X5472

4 Cores4 Thrd120 WWMax: 3 GHz2007

Athlon II X4 635 vs Xeon X5472 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 Xeon X5472 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 Xeon X5472: 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

  • βœ…+0.2% higher PassMark.
  • βœ…Draws 95W instead of 120W, a 25W reduction.
  • βœ…100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • βœ…Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Xeon X5472.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Launch MSRP is still $400 MSRP, while Xeon X5472 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Xeon X5472

2007

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • ❌Lower PassMark (2,243 vs 2,248).
    • ❌26.3% higher power demand at 120W vs 95W.
    • ❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X4 635.

    Quick Answers

    So, is Athlon II X4 635 better than Xeon X5472?
    Not really, because they are built for different jobs. Xeon X5472 makes more sense for workstation-style multi-core throughput, while Athlon II X4 635 is the more practical desktop choice for gaming, platform cost, and everyday use.
    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 0.2% 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 $400 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. The compromise is that Xeon X5472 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.6% average FPS lead across 42 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (5.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 2007) and 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 635 vs Xeon X5472 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 (2009βˆ’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

    Xeon X5472

    The Xeon X5472 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 11 November 2007 (18 years ago). It is based on the Harpertown (2007βˆ’2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 6 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA771. Thermal design power (TDP): 120 Watt. Memory support: DDR2, DDR3 Depends on motherboard. Passmark benchmark score: 2,243 points. Launch price was $958.

    ⚑

    Processing Power

    Both the Athlon II X4 635 and Xeon X5472 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Athlon II X4 635 versus 3 GHz on the Xeon X5472 β€” a 3.4% clock advantage for the Xeon X5472 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Athlon II X4 635 uses the Propus (2009βˆ’2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Xeon X5472 uses Harpertown (2007βˆ’2008) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 635 scores 2,248 against the Xeon X5472's 2,243 β€” a 0.2% lead for the Athlon II X4 635. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 635 vs 12 MB L2 Cache on the Xeon X5472.

    FeatureAthlon II X4 635Xeon X5472
    Cores / Threads
    4 / 4
    4 / 4
    Boost Clock
    2.9 GHz
    3 GHz+3%
    Base Clock
    2.9 GHz
    3 GHz+3%
    L3 Cache
    0 kB
    12 MB L2 Cache
    L2 Cache
    512 kB (per core)
    6 MB (total)+1100%
    Process
    45 nm
    45 nm
    Architecture
    Propus (2009βˆ’2011)
    Harpertown (2007βˆ’2008)
    PassMark
    2,248
    2,243
    Cinebench R23 Multi
    658
    β€”
    Geekbench 6 Single
    180
    β€”
    Geekbench 6 Multi
    550
    β€”
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    The Athlon II X4 635 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon X5472 uses LGA771 (PCIe 2.0) β€” making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

    FeatureAthlon II X4 635Xeon X5472
    Socket
    AM3
    LGA771
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 2.0
    PCIe 2.0
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR3-1333 / DDR2-1066
    β€”
    Max RAM Capacity
    16 GB
    β€”
    RAM Channels
    2
    β€”
    ECC Support
    No
    β€”
    PCIe Lanes
    16
    β€”
    πŸ”§

    Advanced Features

    Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X4 635) / not specified (Xeon X5472). Primary use case: Athlon II X4 635 targets Budget.

    FeatureAthlon II X4 635Xeon X5472
    Integrated GPU
    No
    β€”
    Unlocked
    Yes
    β€”
    AVX-512
    No
    β€”
    Virtualization
    AMD-V
    β€”
    Target Use
    Budget
    β€”