Athlon II X4 638 vs Celeron J3455
Athlon II X4 638
Celeron J3455
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 Celeron J3455 is on rank 994, so the Celeron J3455 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 Celeron J3455
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X4 638 | Celeron J3455 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($280) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Apollo Lake (2014−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X4 638 | Celeron J3455 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($280) | ✅ 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 638 and Celeron J3455
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.
Celeron J3455
The Celeron J3455 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1296. Thermal design power (TDP): 10 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L/LPDDR3 up to 1866 MT/s; LPDDR4 up to 2400 MT/s. Passmark benchmark score: 2,247 points. Launch price was $107.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X4 638 and Celeron J3455 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X4 638 versus 2.3 GHz on the Celeron J3455 — a 16% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 638 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Athlon II X4 638 uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Celeron J3455 uses Apollo Lake (2014−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 638 scores 2,260 against the Celeron J3455's 2,247 — a 0.6% lead for the Athlon II X4 638. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 638 | Celeron J3455 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.7 GHz+17% | 2.3 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.7 GHz+80% | 1.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 2 MB+100% |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Llano (2011−2012) | Apollo Lake (2014−2016) |
| PassMark | 2,260 | 2,247 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 450 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 850 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X4 638 uses the FM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron J3455 uses FCBGA1296 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1866 on the Athlon II X4 638 versus DDR4-2400 on the Celeron J3455 — the Celeron J3455 supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X4 638 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Athlon II X4 638) vs 6 (Celeron J3455) — the Athlon II X4 638 offers 10 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD FM1 (Athlon II X4 638) and N/A (SoC) (Celeron J3455).
| Feature | Athlon II X4 638 | Celeron J3455 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FM1 | FCBGA1296 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1866 | DDR4-2400+33% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB+700% | 8 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+167% | 6 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II X4 638) / VT-x (Celeron J3455). The Celeron J3455 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 500), while the Athlon II X4 638 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Celeron J3455 targets Low Power. Direct competitor: Celeron J3455 rivals Pentium J4205.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 638 | Celeron J3455 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | HD Graphics 500 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x |
| Target Use | — | Low Power |
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