Athlon II X4 651 vs Core i7-8500Y

Athlon II X4 651 vs Core i7-8500Y Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 651

4 / 4

3,584

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i7-8500Y

2 / 4

3,590

+0.2%

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 651 vs Core i7-8500Y 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 651 vs Core i7-8500Y: 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 651

2011

Why buy it

✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (3,584 vs 3,590).
❌Launch MSRP is still $92 MSRP, while Core i7-8500Y mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1900% higher power demand at 100W vs 5W.

Core i7-8500Y

2018

Why buy it

✅Draws 5W instead of 100W, a 95W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-8500Y better than Athlon II X4 651?

Yes. Core i7-8500Y is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-8500Y is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.9% 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, Core i7-8500Y is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i7-8500Y is still the much better call for a fresh build. Core i7-8500Y comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $92 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon II X4 651 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2011 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (39.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on FM1.

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

Core i7-8500Y makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2011) 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 651 vs Core i7-8500Y Technical Specifications

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

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 i7-8500Y

The Core i7-8500Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 28 August 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Amber Lake-Y (2018−2021) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1515. Thermal design power (TDP): 5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,590 points. Launch price was $393.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 651 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-8500Y 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 4.2 GHz on the Core i7-8500Y — a 33.3% clock advantage for the Core i7-8500Y (base: 3 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Athlon II X4 651 uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-8500Y uses Amber Lake-Y (2018−2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 651 scores 3,584 against the Core i7-8500Y's 3,590 — a 0.2% lead for the Core i7-8500Y. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 651 vs 4 MB on the Core i7-8500Y.

Feature	Athlon II X4 651	Core i7-8500Y
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3 GHz	4.2 GHz+40%
Base Clock	3 GHz+100%	1.5 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)	Amber Lake-Y (2018−2021)
PassMark	3,584	3,590

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 651 uses the FM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-8500Y uses FCBGA1515 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.