Athlon X4 730 vs Core m5-6Y54

CPU

GPU

Athlon X4 730

4 Cores4 Thrd65 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2012

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Core m5-6Y54

2 Cores4 Thrd4.5 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2015

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Athlon X4 730 vs Core m5-6Y54 Performance Spectrum

Athlon X4 730

4 / 4

2,278

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core m5-6Y54

2 / 4

2,294

+0.7%

Pentium Dual Core T4400

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 X4 730 vs Core m5-6Y54 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 X4 730 vs Core m5-6Y54: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon X4 730

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $221 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $281 MSRP).
✅Delivers 365.1% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 38.0 vs 8.2 PassMark/$ ($60 MSRP vs $281 MSRP).
✅60% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 10) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,278 vs 2,294).
❌1344.4% higher power demand at 65W vs 4.5W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core m5-6Y54 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core m5-6Y54

2015

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 5W instead of 65W, a 61W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 515, while Athlon X4 730 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon X4 730 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 8.2 vs 38.0 PassMark/$ ($281 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Core m5-6Y54 better than Athlon X4 730?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon X4 730 is ahead with a 4.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core m5-6Y54 pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core m5-6Y54 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core m5-6Y54 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Core m5-6Y54 comes in 368.3% more expensive on MSRP at $281 MSRP versus $60 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% better PassMark. Athlon X4 730 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2012 platform. Even with 365.1% better value on paper (38.0 vs 8.2 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on FM2.

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

Core m5-6Y54 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2012) 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 X4 730 vs Core m5-6Y54 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon X4 730

The Athlon X4 730 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 2,278 points. Launch price was $149.

Core m5-6Y54

The Core m5-6Y54 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake-Y (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1515. Thermal design power (TDP): 4.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,294 points. Launch price was $281.

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Processing Power

The Athlon X4 730 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core m5-6Y54 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon X4 730 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Athlon X4 730 versus 2.7 GHz on the Core m5-6Y54 — a 16.9% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 730 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 1.1 GHz). The Athlon X4 730 uses the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core m5-6Y54 uses Skylake-Y (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X4 730 scores 2,278 against the Core m5-6Y54's 2,294 — a 0.7% lead for the Core m5-6Y54.

Feature	Athlon X4 730	Core m5-6Y54
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz+19%	2.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.8 GHz+155%	1.1 GHz
L3 Cache	—	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	4 MB (total)+1500%	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Trinity (2012−2013)	Skylake-Y (2015)
PassMark	2,278	2,294
Geekbench 6 Single	—	875
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,648

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon X4 730 uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core m5-6Y54 uses FCBGA1515 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1866 memory speed. The Athlon X4 730 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. PCIe lanes: 16 (Athlon X4 730) vs 10 (Core m5-6Y54) — the Athlon X4 730 offers 6 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD FM2 (Athlon X4 730) and Skylake-Y (Core m5-6Y54).

Feature	Athlon X4 730	Core m5-6Y54
Socket	FM2	FCBGA1515
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1866	LPDDR3-1866
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB+300%	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16+60%	10

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon X4 730) / VT-x, VT-d (Core m5-6Y54). The Core m5-6Y54 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 515), while the Athlon X4 730 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core m5-6Y54 targets Enthusiast. Direct competitor: Core m5-6Y54 rivals Pentium Gold 4415Y.

Feature	Athlon X4 730	Core m5-6Y54
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	HD Graphics 515
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Enthusiast

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon X4 730 was priced at $60, while the Core m5-6Y54 came in at $281. On launch pricing ($60 vs $281), Athlon X4 730 was $221 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon X4 730 delivers 38.0 pts/$ vs 8.2 pts/$ for the Core m5-6Y54 — making the Athlon X4 730 the 129.2% better value option.

Feature	Athlon X4 730	Core m5-6Y54
MSRP	$60-79%	$281
Performance per Dollar	38.0+363%	8.2
Release Date	2012	2015

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