Athlon X4 880K vs Pentium G4600

Athlon X4 880K vs Pentium G4600 Performance Spectrum

Athlon X4 880K

4 / 4

3,649

+0.6%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium G4600

2 / 4

3,629

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 880K vs Pentium G4600 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 880K vs Pentium G4600: 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 880K

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +9.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 38.4 vs 44.3 PassMark/$ ($95 MSRP vs $82 MSRP).
❌86.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 51W.

Pentium G4600

2017

Why buy it

✅Costs $13 less on MSRP ($82 MSRP vs $95 MSRP).
✅Delivers 15.2% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 44.3 vs 38.4 PassMark/$ ($82 MSRP vs $95 MSRP).
✅Draws 51W instead of 95W, a 44W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon X4 880K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,629 vs 3,649).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon X4 880K better than Pentium G4600?

Yes. Athlon X4 880K is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 9.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.6% 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 880K is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 9.0% 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 880K is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon X4 880K is still the much better call for a fresh build. Athlon X4 880K comes in 15.9% more expensive on MSRP at $95 MSRP versus $82 MSRP, and it still gives you a 9.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium G4600 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2017 platform. Even with 15.2% better value on paper (44.3 vs 38.4 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1151.

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

Pentium G4600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2015). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon X4 880K vs Pentium G4600 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon X4 880K

The Athlon X4 880K is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Godaveri (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 3,649 points. Launch price was $149.

Pentium G4600

The Pentium G4600 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 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 51 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2133/2400, DDR3L-1333/1600. Passmark benchmark score: 3,629 points. Launch price was $87.

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Processing Power

The Athlon X4 880K packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium G4600 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon X4 880K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Athlon X4 880K versus 3.6 GHz on the Pentium G4600 — a 15.4% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 880K (base: 4 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Athlon X4 880K uses the Godaveri (2014−2016) architecture (28 nm), while the Pentium G4600 uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X4 880K scores 3,649 against the Pentium G4600's 3,629 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon X4 880K.

Feature	Athlon X4 880K	Pentium G4600
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+17%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	4 GHz+11%	3.6 GHz
L3 Cache	—	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	4 MB+1500%	256 kB (per core)
Process	28 nm	14 nm-50%
Architecture	Godaveri (2014−2016)	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
PassMark	3,649	3,629

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon X4 880K uses the FM2+ socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium G4600 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon X4 880K	Pentium G4600
Socket	FM2+	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-2133	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon X4 880K was priced at $95, while the Pentium G4600 came in at $82. On launch pricing ($95 vs $82), Pentium G4600 was $13 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon X4 880K delivers 38.4 pts/$ vs 44.3 pts/$ for the Pentium G4600 — making the Pentium G4600 the 14.1% better value option.

Feature	Athlon X4 880K	Pentium G4600
MSRP	$95	$82-14%
Performance per Dollar	38.4	44.3+15%
Release Date	2015	2017

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