Core i5-4250U vs Athlon II X4 631
Core i5-4250U
Athlon II X4 631
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i5-4250U is positioned at rank 100 and the Athlon II X4 631 is on rank 651, so the Core i5-4250U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-4250U
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X4 631
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-4250U | Athlon II X4 631 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | Balanced gaming performance | Balanced gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-4250U | Athlon II X4 631 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-4250U and Athlon II X4 631
Core i5-4250U
The Core i5-4250U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 June 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,144 points. Launch price was $430.
Athlon II X4 631
The Athlon II X4 631 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 100 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,118 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i5-4250U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon II X4 631 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon II X4 631 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.6 GHz on the Core i5-4250U versus 2.6 GHz on the Athlon II X4 631 — identical boost frequencies (base: 1.3 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Core i5-4250U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Athlon II X4 631 uses Llano (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-4250U scores 2,144 against the Athlon II X4 631's 2,118 — a 1.2% lead for the Core i5-4250U. L3 cache: 3 MB (total) on the Core i5-4250U vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 631.
| Feature | Core i5-4250U | Athlon II X4 631 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2.6 GHz | 2.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 1.3 GHz | 2.6 GHz+100% |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256K (per core) | 1 MB (per core)+300% |
| Process | 22 nm-31% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Haswell (2013−2015) | Llano (2011−2012) |
| PassMark | 2,144+1% | 2,118 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 770 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,450 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-4250U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon II X4 631 uses FM1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3L-1600 memory speed. The Athlon II X4 631 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 12 (Core i5-4250U) vs 16 (Athlon II X4 631) — the Athlon II X4 631 offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: Haswell-ULT (Core i5-4250U) and AMD FM1 (Athlon II X4 631).
| Feature | Core i5-4250U | Athlon II X4 631 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FCBGA1168 | FM1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3L-1600 | DDR3-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 64 GB+300% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | 16+33% |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-4250U) / not specified (Athlon II X4 631). The Core i5-4250U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 5000), while the Athlon II X4 631 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-4250U targets Budget. Direct competitor: Core i5-4250U rivals Ryzen 3 3200U.
| Feature | Core i5-4250U | Athlon II X4 631 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 5000 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Budget | — |
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