Athlon II X4 740 vs Pro A12-8800B

Athlon II X4 740 vs Pro A12-8800B Performance Spectrum

Athlon II X4 740

4 / 4

2,677

+0.4%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pro A12-8800B

4 / 4

2,667

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 Pro A12-8800B 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 Pro A12-8800B: 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 $329 less on MSRP ($71 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).
✅Delivers 465.5% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 37.7 vs 6.7 PassMark/$ ($71 MSRP vs $400 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌3150% higher power demand at 65W vs 2W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Pro A12-8800B can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Pro A12-8800B

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 65W, a 63W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R7 Graphics, while Athlon II X4 740 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,667 vs 2,677).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 6.7 vs 37.7 PassMark/$ ($400 MSRP vs $71 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon II X4 740 better than Pro A12-8800B?

Yes. Athlon II X4 740 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.4% 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 0.9% 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, Athlon II X4 740 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% 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 $329 cheaper on MSRP at $71 MSRP versus $400 MSRP, and it still gives you a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 465.5% better value on MSRP (37.7 vs 6.7 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pro A12-8800B 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 Pro A12-8800B 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.

Pro A12-8800B

The Pro A12-8800B is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 3 June 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Carrizo (2015−2018) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3/DDR3L-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 2,667 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Athlon II X4 740 and Pro A12-8800B share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Athlon II X4 740 versus 3.4 GHz on the Pro A12-8800B — a 8.5% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 740 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Athlon II X4 740 uses the Piledriver architecture (32 nm), while the Pro A12-8800B uses Carrizo (2015−2018) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X4 740 scores 2,677 against the Pro A12-8800B's 2,667 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon II X4 740.

Feature	Athlon II X4 740	Pro A12-8800B
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz+9%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+52%	2.1 GHz
L2 Cache	4 MB+100%	2048 kB
Process	32 nm	28 nm-13%
Architecture	Piledriver	Carrizo (2015−2018)
PassMark	2,677	2,667
Geekbench 6 Single	—	528
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,144

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon II X4 740 uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pro A12-8800B uses FP4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1866 on the Athlon II X4 740 versus DDR3-2133 on the Pro A12-8800B — the Pro A12-8800B supports 14.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 64 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: AMD FM2 (Athlon II X4 740) and Socket FP4 (Pro A12-8800B).

Feature	Athlon II X4 740	Pro A12-8800B
Socket	FM2	FP4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1866	DDR3-2133+14%
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon II X4 740) / AMD-V (Pro A12-8800B). The Pro A12-8800B includes integrated graphics (Radeon R7 Graphics), while the Athlon II X4 740 requires a dedicated GPU.

Feature	Athlon II X4 740	Pro A12-8800B
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon R7 Graphics
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon II X4 740 was priced at $71, while the Pro A12-8800B came in at $400. On launch pricing ($71 vs $400), Athlon II X4 740 was $329 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon II X4 740 delivers 37.7 pts/$ vs 6.7 pts/$ for the Pro A12-8800B — making the Athlon II X4 740 the 139.9% better value option.

Feature	Athlon II X4 740	Pro A12-8800B
MSRP	$71-82%	$400
Performance per Dollar	37.7+463%	6.7
Release Date	2012	2015

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