Athlon X4 730 vs Pentium 1403 v2

AMD

Athlon X4 730

4 Cores4 Thrd65 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2012
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Pentium 1403 v2

2 Cores2 Thrd80 WWMax: 2.6 GHz2014
Similar parts
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Athlon X4 730 vs Pentium 1403 v2 Performance Spectrum

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 Pentium 1403 v2 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 Pentium 1403 v2: 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

  • Costs $90 less on MSRP ($60 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • Delivers 149.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 38.0 vs 15.2 PassMark/$ ($60 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • Draws 65W instead of 80W, a 15W reduction.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (2,278 vs 2,284).

Pentium 1403 v2

2014

Why buy it

  • +0.3% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark per dollar, at 15.2 vs 38.0 PassMark/$ ($150 MSRP vs $60 MSRP).
  • 23.1% higher power demand at 80W vs 65W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon X4 730 better than Pentium 1403 v2?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon X4 730 is ahead with a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 1403 v2 pulls ahead with 0.3% better PassMark.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium 1403 v2 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Athlon X4 730 is the better buy right now. Athlon X4 730 comes in $90 cheaper on MSRP at $60 MSRP versus $150 MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that Pentium 1403 v2 is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.3% better PassMark. It is also 149.3% better value on MSRP (38.0 vs 15.2 PassMark/$), 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 1403 v2 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2012) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 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 Pentium 1403 v2 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

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.

Intel

Pentium 1403 v2

The Pentium 1403 v2 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Ivy Bridge-EN (2013−2014) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 80 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-800, DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333, DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 2,284 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

The Athlon X4 730 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium 1403 v2 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon X4 730 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Athlon X4 730 versus 2.6 GHz on the Pentium 1403 v2 — a 20.7% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 730 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Athlon X4 730 uses the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium 1403 v2 uses Ivy Bridge-EN (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X4 730 scores 2,278 against the Pentium 1403 v2's 2,284 — a 0.3% lead for the Pentium 1403 v2.

FeatureAthlon X4 730Pentium 1403 v2
Cores / Threads
4 / 4+100%
2 / 2
Boost Clock
3.2 GHz+23%
2.6 GHz
Base Clock
2.8 GHz+8%
2.6 GHz
L3 Cache
6 MB (total)
L2 Cache
4 MB (total)
256K (per core)+6300%
Process
32 nm
22 nm-31%
Architecture
Trinity (2012−2013)
Ivy Bridge-EN (2013−2014)
PassMark
2,278
2,284
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon X4 730 uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium 1403 v2 uses LGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureAthlon X4 730Pentium 1403 v2
Socket
FM2
LGA1356
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
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon X4 730 was priced at $60, while the Pentium 1403 v2 came in at $150. On launch pricing ($60 vs $150), Athlon X4 730 was $90 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon X4 730 delivers 38.0 pts/$ vs 15.2 pts/$ for the Pentium 1403 v2 — making the Athlon X4 730 the 85.5% better value option.

FeatureAthlon X4 730Pentium 1403 v2
MSRP
$60-60%
$150
Performance per Dollar
38.0+150%
15.2
Release Date
2012
2014

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