CPU
GPU
Athlon II X4 640
Opteron 3260 HE
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 640 is positioned at rank 621 and the Opteron 3260 HE is on rank 214, so the Opteron 3260 HE 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 640
Performance Per Dollar Opteron 3260 HE
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X4 640 | Opteron 3260 HE |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Propus (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Zurich (2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X4 640 | Opteron 3260 HE |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ 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 640 and Opteron 3260 HE
Athlon II X4 640
The Athlon II X4 640 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 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: 2,266 points. Launch price was $80.
Opteron 3260 HE
The Opteron 3260 HE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 20 March 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Zurich (2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: AM3+. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,283 points. Launch price was $125.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X4 640 and Opteron 3260 HE share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Athlon II X4 640 versus 3.7 GHz on the Opteron 3260 HE — a 20.9% clock advantage for the Opteron 3260 HE (base: 3 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Athlon II X4 640 uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Opteron 3260 HE uses Zurich (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 640 scores 2,266 against the Opteron 3260 HE's 2,283 — a 0.7% lead for the Opteron 3260 HE. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 640 vs 4 MB (total) on the Opteron 3260 HE.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 640 | Opteron 3260 HE |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3 GHz | 3.7 GHz+23% |
| Base Clock | 3 GHz+11% | 2.7 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 4 MB+700% |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Propus (2009−2011) | Zurich (2012) |
| PassMark | 2,266 | 2,283 |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | 1,471 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 386 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,332 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X4 640 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Opteron 3260 HE uses AM3+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 640 | Opteron 3260 HE |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | AM3+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon II X4 640) / not specified (Opteron 3260 HE). Primary use case: Athlon II X4 640 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon II X4 640 rivals Core 2 Quad Q8300.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 640 | Opteron 3260 HE |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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