Athlon II X4 638 vs Core i5-650

Athlon II X4 638 vs Core i5-650 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 638

4 / 4

2,260

+0.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-650

2 / 4

2,254

0.0%

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 i5-650 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 i5-650: 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

✅+0.3% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 65W instead of 73W, a 8W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.5 vs 12.8 PassMark/$ ($300 MSRP vs $176 MSRP).

Core i5-650

2010

Why buy it

✅Costs $124 less on MSRP ($176 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).
✅Delivers 70.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 12.8 vs 7.5 PassMark/$ ($176 MSRP vs $300 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,254 vs 2,260).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X4 638 better than Core i5-650?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-650 is ahead with a 1.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X4 638 pulls ahead with 0.3% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X4 638 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon II X4 638 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Athlon II X4 638 comes in 70.5% more expensive on MSRP at $300 MSRP versus $176 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.3% better PassMark. Core i5-650 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 70.0% better value on paper (12.8 vs 7.5 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1156.

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

Athlon II X4 638 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon II X4 638 vs Core i5-650 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 i5-650

The Core i5-650 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.46 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 73 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,254 points. Launch price was $35.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 638 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-650 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 3.46 GHz on the Core i5-650 — a 24.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-650 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Athlon II X4 638 uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i5-650 uses Clarkdale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 638 scores 2,260 against the Core i5-650's 2,254 — a 0.3% lead for the Athlon II X4 638. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 638 vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i5-650.

Feature	Athlon II X4 638	Core i5-650
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.7 GHz	3.46 GHz+28%
Base Clock	2.7 GHz	3.2 GHz+19%
L3 Cache	0 kB	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+300%	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Llano (2011−2012)	Clarkdale (2010−2011)
PassMark	2,260	2,254

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 638 uses the FM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-650 uses LGA1156 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II X4 638	Core i5-650
Socket	FM1	LGA1156
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1866	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X4 638 was priced at $300, while the Core i5-650 came in at $176. On launch pricing ($300 vs $176), Core i5-650 was $124 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X4 638 delivers 7.5 pts/$ vs 12.8 pts/$ for the Core i5-650 — making the Core i5-650 the 51.9% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X4 638	Core i5-650
MSRP	$300	$176-41%
Performance per Dollar	7.5	12.8+71%
Release Date	2012	2010

Search Athlon II X4 638 on Amazon

Search Core i5-650 on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.