
Athlon II X4 740 vs Core 2 Duo T7800

Athlon II X4 740

Core 2 Duo T7800
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 740 is positioned at rank 522 and the Core 2 Duo T7800 is on rank 156, so the Core 2 Duo T7800 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 740
Performance Per Dollar Core 2 Duo T7800
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X4 740 | Core 2 Duo T7800 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Piledriver / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Merom (2006−2008) / 65 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X4 740 | Core 2 Duo T7800 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($20) | ✅ 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 740 and Core 2 Duo T7800

Athlon II X4 740
The Athlon II X4 740 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 October 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Piledriver architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,677 points. Launch price was $71.

Core 2 Duo T7800
The Core 2 Duo T7800 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 18 August 2007 (18 years ago). It is based on the Merom (2006−2008) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: PGA478. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,663 points. Launch price was $515.
Processing Power
The Athlon II X4 740 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core 2 Duo T7800 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon II X4 740 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Athlon II X4 740 versus 2.6 GHz on the Core 2 Duo T7800 — a 34.9% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 740 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Athlon II X4 740 uses the Piledriver architecture (32 nm), while the Core 2 Duo T7800 uses Merom (2006−2008) (65 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 740 scores 2,677 against the Core 2 Duo T7800's 2,663 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon II X4 740.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 740 | Core 2 Duo T7800 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.7 GHz+42% | 2.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+23% | 2.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB | 4 MB |
| Process | 32 nm-51% | 65 nm |
| Architecture | Piledriver | Merom (2006−2008) |
| PassMark | 2,677 | 2,663 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X4 740 uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core 2 Duo T7800 uses PGA478 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1866 on the Athlon II X4 740 versus DDR2-667 on the Core 2 Duo T7800 — the Athlon II X4 740 supports 40% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Chipset compatibility: AMD FM2 (Athlon II X4 740) and GM965,PM965 (Core 2 Duo T7800).
| Feature | Athlon II X4 740 | Core 2 Duo T7800 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FM2 | PGA478 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1866+50% | DDR2-667 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II X4 740) / VT-x (Core 2 Duo T7800). Primary use case: Core 2 Duo T7800 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core 2 Duo T7800 rivals Athlon Silver 3050U.
| Feature | Athlon II X4 740 | Core 2 Duo T7800 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | VT-x |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
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