Athlon II X4 645 vs Core i7-3517UE

Athlon II X4 645 vs Core i7-3517UE Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 645

4 / 4

2,375

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i7-3517UE

2 / 4

2,384

+0.4%

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 645 vs Core i7-3517UE 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 645 vs Core i7-3517UE: 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 645

2010

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $204 less on MSRP ($126 MSRP vs $330 MSRP).
✅Delivers 160.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 18.8 vs 7.2 PassMark/$ ($126 MSRP vs $330 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-3517UE.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,375 vs 2,384).
❌458.8% higher power demand at 95W vs 17W.

Core i7-3517UE

2012

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 17W instead of 95W, a 78W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II X4 645 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 7.2 vs 18.8 PassMark/$ ($330 MSRP vs $126 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon II X4 645.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-3517UE better than Athlon II X4 645?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon II X4 645 is ahead with a 3.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-3517UE pulls ahead with 0.4% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-3517UE is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i7-3517UE is still the much better call for a fresh build. Core i7-3517UE comes in 161.9% more expensive on MSRP at $330 MSRP versus $126 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.4% better PassMark. Athlon II X4 645 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 160.9% better value on paper (18.8 vs 7.2 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on AM3.

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

Core i7-3517UE 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 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 645 vs Core i7-3517UE Technical Specifications

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

Athlon II X4 645

The Athlon II X4 645 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 September 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Propus (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 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: 2,375 points. Launch price was $80.

Core i7-3517UE

The Core i7-3517UE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 June 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: unknown Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 2,384 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 645 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-3517UE offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 645 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Athlon II X4 645 versus 2.8 GHz on the Core i7-3517UE — a 10.2% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 645 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 1.7 GHz). The Athlon II X4 645 uses the Propus (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i7-3517UE uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 645 scores 2,375 against the Core i7-3517UE's 2,384 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i7-3517UE. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 645 vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-3517UE.

Feature	Athlon II X4 645	Core i7-3517UE
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz+11%	2.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.1 GHz+82%	1.7 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)+100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Propus (2009−2011)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	2,375	2,384
Cinebench R23 Multi	1,374	—
Geekbench 6 Single	399	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,374	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 645 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-3517UE uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II X4 645	Core i7-3517UE
Socket	AM3	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: Yes (Athlon II X4 645) / not specified (Core i7-3517UE). Primary use case: Athlon II X4 645 targets Desktop.

Feature	Athlon II X4 645	Core i7-3517UE
Integrated GPU	No	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	Yes	—
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X4 645 was priced at $126, while the Core i7-3517UE came in at $330. On launch pricing ($126 vs $330), Athlon II X4 645 was $204 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X4 645 delivers 18.8 pts/$ vs 7.2 pts/$ for the Core i7-3517UE — making the Athlon II X4 645 the 89.2% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X4 645	Core i7-3517UE
MSRP	$126-62%	$330
Performance per Dollar	18.8+161%	7.2
Release Date	2010	2012

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