Athlon II X4 638 vs A10-8700P
Athlon II X4 638
A10-8700P
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 638 is positioned at rank 1040 and the A10-8700P is on rank 978, so the A10-8700P 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 638
Performance Per Dollar A10-8700P
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X4 638 | A10-8700P |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($280) | ✅ More affordable ($40) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Carrizo (2015−2018) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X4 638 | A10-8700P |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+598%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($280) | ✅ More affordable ($40) |
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 638 and A10-8700P
Athlon II X4 638
The Athlon II X4 638 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 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,260 points. Launch price was $149.
A10-8700P
The A10-8700P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Carrizo (2015−2018) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 2,254 points. Launch price was $130.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X4 638 and A10-8700P share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X4 638 versus 3.2 GHz on the A10-8700P — a 16.9% clock advantage for the A10-8700P (base: 2.7 GHz vs 1.8 GHz). The Athlon II X4 638 uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the A10-8700P uses Carrizo (2015−2018) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 638 scores 2,260 against the A10-8700P's 2,254 — a 0.3% lead for the Athlon II X4 638.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 638 | A10-8700P |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.7 GHz | 3.2 GHz+19% |
| Base Clock | 2.7 GHz+50% | 1.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 2048 kB+100% |
| Process | 32 nm | 28 nm-13% |
| Architecture | Llano (2011−2012) | Carrizo (2015−2018) |
| PassMark | 2,260 | 2,254 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 480 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,000 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X4 638 uses the FM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A10-8700P uses FP4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1866 memory speed. The Athlon II X4 638 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 638) vs 12 (A10-8700P) — the Athlon II X4 638 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD FM1 (Athlon II X4 638) and SoC (A10-8700P).
| Feature | Athlon II X4 638 | A10-8700P |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FM1 | FP4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1866 | DDR3-2133 |
| 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 638) / AMD-V (A10-8700P). The A10-8700P includes integrated graphics (Radeon R6), while the Athlon II X4 638 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A10-8700P targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: A10-8700P rivals Core i5-5200U.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 638 | A10-8700P |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Radeon R6 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Budget Laptop |
Value Analysis
The Athlon II X4 638 launched at $300 MSRP, while the A10-8700P debuted at $150. At current prices ($280 vs $40), the A10-8700P is $240 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X4 638 delivers 8.1 pts/$ vs 56.4 pts/$ for the A10-8700P — making the A10-8700P the 149.9% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 638 | A10-8700P |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $300 | $150-50% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $280 | $40-86% |
| Performance per Dollar | 8.1 | 56.4+596% |
| Release Date | 2012 | 2015 |
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