Athlon X4 840 vs Core i5-7200U

Athlon X4 840 vs Core i5-7200U Performance Spectrum

Athlon X4 840

4 / 4

3,331

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-7200U

2 / 4

3,369

+1.1%

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 840 vs Core i5-7200U 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 840 vs Core i5-7200U: 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 840

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +8.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (3,331 vs 3,369).
❌Launch MSRP is still $102 MSRP, while Core i5-7200U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-7200U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-7200U

2016

Why buy it

✅+1.1% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 620, while Athlon X4 840 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon X4 840 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i5-7200U better than Athlon X4 840?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon X4 840 is ahead with a 8.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-7200U pulls ahead with 1.1% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-7200U is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i5-7200U is still the much better call for a fresh build. Core i5-7200U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $102 MSRP, and it still gives you 1.1% better PassMark. Athlon X4 840 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2014 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (32.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 i5-7200U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2014) 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 840 vs Core i5-7200U Technical Specifications

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

Athlon X4 840

The Athlon X4 840 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Kaveri (2014−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,331 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i5-7200U

The Core i5-7200U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,369 points. Launch price was $281.

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Processing Power

The Athlon X4 840 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-7200U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon X4 840 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Athlon X4 840 versus 3.1 GHz on the Core i5-7200U — a 20.3% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 840 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The Athlon X4 840 uses the Kaveri (2014−2015) architecture (28 nm), while the Core i5-7200U uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X4 840 scores 3,331 against the Core i5-7200U's 3,369 — a 1.1% lead for the Core i5-7200U.

Feature	Athlon X4 840	Core i5-7200U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz+23%	3.1 GHz
Base Clock	3.1 GHz+24%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	—	3 MB
L2 Cache	4 MB+700%	512 kB
Process	28 nm	14 nm-50%
Architecture	Kaveri (2014−2015)	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
PassMark	3,331	3,369+1%

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon X4 840 uses the FM2+ socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-7200U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-2133 memory speed. The Athlon X4 840 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Athlon X4 840) vs 12 (Core i5-7200U) — the Athlon X4 840 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Athlon X4 840	Core i5-7200U
Socket	FM2+	BGA1356
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-2133	DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB+100%	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16+33%	12

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon X4 840) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-7200U). The Core i5-7200U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 620), while the Athlon X4 840 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-7200U targets Mobile.