Athlon II X4 740 vs Pentium G4520

Athlon II X4 740 vs Pentium G4520 Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 740

4 / 4

2,677

+0.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium G4520

2 / 2

2,670

0.0%

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 Pentium G4520 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 Pentium G4520: 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

✅Costs $15 less on MSRP ($71 MSRP vs $86 MSRP).
✅Delivers 21.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.7 vs 31.0 PassMark/$ ($71 MSRP vs $86 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌27.5% higher power demand at 65W vs 51W.

Pentium G4520

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 51W instead of 65W, a 14W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,670 vs 2,677).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 31.0 vs 37.7 PassMark/$ ($86 MSRP vs $71 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X4 740 better than Pentium G4520?

Yes. Athlon II X4 740 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.3% better PassMark, 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 1.0% 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 0.3% 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 $15 cheaper on MSRP at $71 MSRP versus $86 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 21.4% better value on MSRP (37.7 vs 31.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium G4520 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2012). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon II X4 740 vs Pentium G4520 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.

Pentium G4520

The Pentium G4520 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 51 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,670 points. Launch price was $93.

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Processing Power

The Athlon II X4 740 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium G4520 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 3.6 GHz on the Pentium G4520 — a 2.7% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 740 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Athlon II X4 740 uses the Piledriver architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium G4520 uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 740 scores 2,677 against the Pentium G4520's 2,670 — a 0.3% lead for the Athlon II X4 740.

Feature	Athlon II X4 740	Pentium G4520
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz+3%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz	3.6 GHz+12%
L3 Cache	—	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	4 MB	256K (per core)+6300%
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Piledriver	Skylake (2015−2016)
PassMark	2,677	2,670

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 740 uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium G4520 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon II X4 740	Pentium G4520
Socket	FM2	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1866	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X4 740 was priced at $71, while the Pentium G4520 came in at $86. On launch pricing ($71 vs $86), Athlon II X4 740 was $15 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X4 740 delivers 37.7 pts/$ vs 31.0 pts/$ for the Pentium G4520 — making the Athlon II X4 740 the 19.4% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X4 740	Pentium G4520
MSRP	$71-17%	$86
Performance per Dollar	37.7+22%	31.0
Release Date	2012	2015

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