Athlon II X4 740 vs Core i5-3610ME

Athlon II X4 740 vs Core i5-3610ME Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 740

4 / 4

2,677

+0.9%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-3610ME

2 / 4

2,652

0.0%

Pentium G860

Pentium Dual Core T2390

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 740 vs Core i5-3610ME 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 740 vs Core i5-3610ME: 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 740

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $205 less on MSRP ($71 MSRP vs $276 MSRP).
✅Delivers 292.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.7 vs 9.6 PassMark/$ ($71 MSRP vs $276 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-3610ME can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-3610ME

2012

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 4000, while Athlon II X4 740 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon II X4 740 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,652 vs 2,677).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 9.6 vs 37.7 PassMark/$ ($276 MSRP vs $71 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X4 740 better than Core i5-3610ME?

Yes. Athlon II X4 740 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 6.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.9% 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, Athlon II X4 740 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 6.3% 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 740 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon II X4 740 is the better buy right now. Athlon II X4 740 comes in $205 cheaper on MSRP at $71 MSRP versus $276 MSRP, and it still gives you a 6.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 292.4% better value on MSRP (37.7 vs 9.6 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Athlon II X4 740 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon II X4 740 vs Core i5-3610ME Technical Specifications

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

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 i5-3610ME

The Core i5-3610ME is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 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 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: G2. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: unknown Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 2,652 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 740 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-3610ME offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 740 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Athlon II X4 740 versus 3.3 GHz on the Core i5-3610ME — a 11.4% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 740 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Athlon II X4 740 uses the Piledriver architecture (32 nm), while the Core i5-3610ME uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 740 scores 2,677 against the Core i5-3610ME's 2,652 — a 0.9% lead for the Athlon II X4 740.

Feature	Athlon II X4 740	Core i5-3610ME
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz+12%	3.3 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+19%	2.7 GHz
L3 Cache	—	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	4 MB+1500%	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Piledriver	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	2,677	2,652
Geekbench 6 Single	—	585

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 740 uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-3610ME uses G2 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1866 on the Athlon II X4 740 versus DDR3-1600 on the Core i5-3610ME — the Athlon II X4 740 supports 16.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X4 740 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AMD FM2 (Athlon II X4 740) and HM65,QM77,QM67 (Core i5-3610ME).

Feature	Athlon II X4 740	Core i5-3610ME
Socket	FM2	G2
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1866+17%	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB+300%	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II X4 740) / VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-3610ME). The Core i5-3610ME includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 4000), while the Athlon II X4 740 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-3610ME targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Core i5-3610ME rivals Embedded R-Series.

Feature	Athlon II X4 740	Core i5-3610ME
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	HD Graphics 4000
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	—	Embedded

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X4 740 was priced at $71, while the Core i5-3610ME came in at $276. On launch pricing ($71 vs $276), Athlon II X4 740 was $205 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X4 740 delivers 37.7 pts/$ vs 9.6 pts/$ for the Core i5-3610ME — making the Athlon II X4 740 the 118.8% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X4 740	Core i5-3610ME
MSRP	$71-74%	$276
Performance per Dollar	37.7+293%	9.6
Release Date	2012	2012

Search Athlon II X4 740 on Amazon

Search Core i5-3610ME on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.