Athlon II X4 651 vs Core i7-6660U
Athlon II X4 651
Core i7-6660U
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 651 is positioned at rank 505 and the Core i7-6660U is on rank 612, so the Athlon II X4 651 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 651
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-6660U
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X4 651 | Core i7-6660U |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($92) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X4 651 | Core i7-6660U |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($92) | ✅ 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 651 and Core i7-6660U
Athlon II X4 651
The Athlon II X4 651 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 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 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: 3,584 points. Launch price was $149.
Core i7-6660U
The Core i7-6660U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 March 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2133, LPDDR3-1866, DDR3L-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 3,628 points. Launch price was $415.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X4 651 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-6660U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 651 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the Athlon II X4 651 versus 3.4 GHz on the Core i7-6660U — a 12.5% clock advantage for the Core i7-6660U (base: 3 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Athlon II X4 651 uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-6660U uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 651 scores 3,584 against the Core i7-6660U's 3,628 — a 1.2% lead for the Core i7-6660U. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 651 vs 4 MB on the Core i7-6660U.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 651 | Core i7-6660U |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3 GHz | 3.4 GHz+13% |
| Base Clock | 3 GHz+25% | 2.4 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 4 MB |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core)+100% | 512 kB |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Llano (2011−2012) | Skylake (2015−2016) |
| PassMark | 3,584 | 3,628+1% |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X4 651 uses the FM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-6660U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 651 | Core i7-6660U |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FM1 | BGA1356 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1866 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Athlon II X4 651 and Core i7-6660U
