Athlon II X4 641 vs Core i5-4260U

Athlon II X4 641 vs Core i5-4260U Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 641

4 / 4

2,313

+0.1%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-4260U

2 / 4

2,311

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 641 vs Core i5-4260U 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 641 vs Core i5-4260U: 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 641

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 100W instead of 512W, a 412W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $102 MSRP, while Core i5-4260U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i5-4260U

2014

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II X4 641 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,311 vs 2,313).
❌412% higher power demand at 512W vs 100W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X4 641 better than Core i5-4260U?

Yes. Athlon II X4 641 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 3.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.1% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon II X4 641 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 3.1% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon II X4 641 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon II X4 641 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X4 641 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $102 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (22.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core i5-4260U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2012). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X4 641 vs Core i5-4260U Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X4 641

The Athlon II X4 641 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 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 100 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,313 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i5-4260U

The Core i5-4260U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,311 points. Launch price was $325.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 641 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-4260U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 641 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Athlon II X4 641 versus 2.7 GHz on the Core i5-4260U — a 3.6% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 641 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 1.4 GHz). The Athlon II X4 641 uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i5-4260U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 641 scores 2,313 against the Core i5-4260U's 2,311 — a 0.1% lead for the Athlon II X4 641. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 641 vs 3 MB on the Core i5-4260U.

Feature	Athlon II X4 641	Core i5-4260U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz+4%	2.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.8 GHz+100%	1.4 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+100%	512 kB
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Llano (2011−2012)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	2,313	2,311

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 641 uses the FM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-4260U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.