Core i5-760 vs Athlon II X4 740
Core i5-760
Athlon II X4 740
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 i5-760 is positioned at rank 973 and the Athlon II X4 740 is on rank 522, so the Athlon II X4 740 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-760
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X4 740
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-760 | Athlon II X4 740 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($61) | ✅ More affordable ($20) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Lynnfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Piledriver / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-760 | Athlon II X4 740 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+206%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($61) | ✅ More affordable ($20) |
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 i5-760 and Athlon II X4 740
Core i5-760
The Core i5-760 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 18 July 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.33 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,667 points. Launch price was $230.
Athlon II X4 740
The Athlon II X4 740 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 October 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Piledriver architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 watt. Passmark benchmark score: 2,677 points. Launch price was $71.
Processing Power
Both the Core i5-760 and Athlon II X4 740 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.33 GHz on the Core i5-760 versus 3.7 GHz on the Athlon II X4 740 — a 10.5% clock advantage for the Athlon II X4 740 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i5-760 uses the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II X4 740 uses Piledriver (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-760 scores 2,667 against the Athlon II X4 740's 2,677 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon II X4 740.
| Feature | Core i5-760 | Athlon II X4 740 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.33 GHz | 3.7 GHz+11% |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz | 3.2 GHz+14% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 4 MB+1500% |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Lynnfield (2009−2010) | Piledriver |
| PassMark | 2,667 | 2,677 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 470 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-760 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X4 740 uses FM2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Athlon II X4 740 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. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: P55,H55,H57,Q57 (Core i5-760) and AMD FM2 (Athlon II X4 740).
| Feature | Core i5-760 | Athlon II X4 740 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1156 | FM2 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 64 GB+300% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i5-760) / not specified (Athlon II X4 740). Primary use case: Core i5-760 targets Legacy Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i5-760 rivals Phenom II X4 970.
| Feature | Core i5-760 | Athlon II X4 740 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| IGPU Model | None | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d, EPT | — |
| Target Use | Legacy Desktop | — |
Value Analysis
The Core i5-760 launched at $230 MSRP, while the Athlon II X4 740 debuted at $71. At current prices ($61 vs $20), the Athlon II X4 740 is $41 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-760 delivers 43.7 pts/$ vs 133.8 pts/$ for the Athlon II X4 740 — making the Athlon II X4 740 the 101.5% better value option.
| Feature | Core i5-760 | Athlon II X4 740 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $230 | $71-69% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $61 | $20-67% |
| Performance per Dollar | 43.7 | 133.8+206% |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2012 |
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