Athlon II X4 638 vs Core i3-6006U

Athlon II X4 638 vs Core i3-6006U Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 638

4 / 4

2,260

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i3-6006U

2 / 4

2,273

+0.6%

Celeron 847

Core i3-530

Pentium Dual Core T2390

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 638 vs Core i3-6006U 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 638 vs Core i3-6006U: 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 638

2012

Why buy it

✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,260 vs 2,273).
❌Launch MSRP is still $300 MSRP, while Core i3-6006U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-6006U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i3-6006U

2016

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 520, while Athlon II X4 638 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-6006U better than Athlon II X4 638?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X4 638 is ahead with a 0.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-6006U 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, Core i3-6006U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i3-6006U is still the much better call for a fresh build. Core i3-6006U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $300 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.6% better PassMark. Athlon II X4 638 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2012 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (7.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on FM1.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i3-6006U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2012) and more multi-core headroom with 2 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 638 vs Core i3-6006U Technical Specifications

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

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.

Core i3-6006U

The Core i3-6006U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 10 November 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,273 points. Launch price was $281.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 638 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i3-6006U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 638 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X4 638 versus 2 GHz on the Core i3-6006U — a 29.8% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 638 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Athlon II X4 638 uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i3-6006U uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 638 scores 2,260 against the Core i3-6006U's 2,273 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i3-6006U. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 638 vs 3 MB on the Core i3-6006U.

Feature	Athlon II X4 638	Core i3-6006U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.7 GHz+35%	2 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz+35%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512 kB
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Llano (2011−2012)	Skylake (2015−2016)
PassMark	2,260	2,273
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	2,200
Geekbench 6 Single	—	630
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,313

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 638 uses the FM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-6006U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1866 on the Athlon II X4 638 versus DDR4-2133 on the Core i3-6006U — the Core i3-6006U supports 14.3% 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 32 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Athlon II X4 638) vs 12 (Core i3-6006U) — the Athlon II X4 638 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD FM1 (Athlon II X4 638) and Skylake-U (Core i3-6006U).

Feature	Athlon II X4 638	Core i3-6006U
Socket	FM1	BGA1356
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1866	DDR4-2133+14%
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB+100%	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16+33%	12

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II X4 638) / Yes (Core i3-6006U). The Core i3-6006U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 520), while the Athlon II X4 638 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-6006U targets Mobile.