Athlon X4 845 vs Core i5-7287U

Athlon X4 845 vs Core i5-7287U Performance Spectrum

Athlon X4 845

4 / 4

3,768

+0.7%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-7287U

2 / 4

3,743

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 X4 845 vs Core i5-7287U 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 845 vs Core i5-7287U: 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 845

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $70 MSRP, while Core i5-7287U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌132.1% higher power demand at 65W vs 28W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-7287U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-7287U

2017

Why buy it

✅Draws 28W instead of 65W, a 37W reduction.
✅50% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650, while Athlon X4 845 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon X4 845 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,743 vs 3,768).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon X4 845 better than Core i5-7287U?

Yes. Athlon X4 845 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 9.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.7% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon X4 845 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 9.3% 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 X4 845 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon X4 845 is the better buy right now. Athlon X4 845 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $70 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 9.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (53.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core i5-7287U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2016). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon X4 845 vs Core i5-7287U Technical Specifications

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

Athlon X4 845

The Athlon X4 845 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Carrizo (2015−2018) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 3,768 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i5-7287U

The Core i5-7287U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,743 points. Launch price was $304.

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Processing Power

The Athlon X4 845 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-7287U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon X4 845 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Athlon X4 845 versus 3.7 GHz on the Core i5-7287U — a 2.7% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 845 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.3 GHz). The Athlon X4 845 uses the Carrizo (2015−2018) architecture (28 nm), while the Core i5-7287U uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X4 845 scores 3,768 against the Core i5-7287U's 3,743 — a 0.7% lead for the Athlon X4 845.

Feature	Athlon X4 845	Core i5-7287U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz+3%	3.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+6%	3.3 GHz
L3 Cache	—	4 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	512 kB
Process	28 nm	14 nm-50%
Architecture	Carrizo (2015−2018)	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
PassMark	3,768	3,743

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon X4 845 uses the FM2+ socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-7287U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-2133 memory speed. The Athlon X4 845 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: 8 (Athlon X4 845) vs 12 (Core i5-7287U) — the Core i5-7287U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD FM2+ (Athlon X4 845) and Kaby Lake-U (Core i5-7287U).

Feature	Athlon X4 845	Core i5-7287U
Socket	FM2+	BGA1356
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-2133	2133
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB+100%	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	8	12+50%

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon X4 845) / true (Core i5-7287U). The Core i5-7287U includes integrated graphics (Intel Iris Plus Graphics 650), while the Athlon X4 845 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-7287U targets Mobile.