Core i7-940XM vs Athlon II X4 638

Core i7-940XM

4 Cores8 Thrd55 WWMax: 3.33 GHz2010

Athlon II X4 638

4 Cores4 Thrd65 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2012

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-940XM

4 / 8

2,269

+0.4%

2,260

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 i7-940XM is positioned at rank 1237 and the Athlon II X4 638 is on rank 1040, so the Athlon II X4 638 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-940XM

#1225

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

14174%

#1226

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

13966%

#1227

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

12821%

#1228

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

12763%

#1229

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

12646%

#1231

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

12213%

#1232

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

11710%

#1233

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

11691%

#1234

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

11377%

#1237

Core i7-940XM

MSRP: $1096|Avg: N/A

100%

#1238

Core Solo T1350

MSRP: $200|Avg: $70

98%

#1240

Core Solo T1300

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

89%

#1241

Core Solo T1200

MSRP: $209|Avg: $10

82%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X4 638

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

41396%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

39116%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

28401%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

8556%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

6777%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

5929%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

3396%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

3351%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

3052%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

3051%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

3017%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

2936%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

2895%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

2883%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

2857%

#1040

Athlon II X4 638

MSRP: $300|Avg: $280

100%

#1041

Core 2 Duo E7200

MSRP: $133|Avg: $133

100%

#1043

Phenom X3 8750

MSRP: $195|Avg: $20

98%

#1044

Pentium G4400TE

MSRP: $300|Avg: $250

97%

#1045

Celeron 2.60

MSRP: $53|Avg: $10

96%

#1046

Core i7-990X

MSRP: $999|Avg: $225

95%

#1047

Phenom X4 9750B

MSRP: $215|Avg: $34

94%

#1048

Core 2 Duo E8200

MSRP: $163|Avg: $20

93%

#1049

Core 2 Quad Q9450

MSRP: $316|Avg: $15

93%

#1050

Core 2 Duo E8600

MSRP: $200|Avg: $95

92%

#1051

Core 2 Duo E6320

MSRP: $163|Avg: $5

91%

#1052

Core i7-980X

MSRP: $999|Avg: $150

91%

#1053

Athlon 64 X2 3600+

MSRP: $150|Avg: $10

90%

#1054

Core 2 Duo E6420

MSRP: $183|Avg: $10

90%

#1055

Phenom X4 9600B

MSRP: $278|Avg: $20

88%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-940XM delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Athlon II X4 638 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.4% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i7-940XM	Athlon II X4 638
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($1,096)	✅ More affordable ($280)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Clarksfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Value Proposition: While both processors are considered legacy components by modern standards, the Athlon II X4 638 holds the technical lead in efficiency. Priced at $280 (vs $1,096), it costs 74% less. While offering basic entry-level performance, it results in a 290% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Core i7-940XM.

Insight	Core i7-940XM	Athlon II X4 638
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+290%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($1,096)	✅ More affordable ($280)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Core i7-940XM Benchmark Check

Athlon II X4 638 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-940XM and Athlon II X4 638

Core i7-940XM

The Core i7-940XM is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 20 June 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarksfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.13 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: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1066, DDR3-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 2,269 points. Launch price was $1,096.

Athlon II X4 638

The Athlon II X4 638 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 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,260 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-940XM packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Athlon II X4 638's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.33 GHz on the Core i7-940XM versus 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X4 638 — a 20.9% clock advantage for the Core i7-940XM (base: 2.13 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Core i7-940XM uses the Clarksfield (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II X4 638 uses Llano (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-940XM scores 2,269 against the Athlon II X4 638's 2,260 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i7-940XM. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-940XM vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 638.

Feature	Core i7-940XM	Athlon II X4 638
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.33 GHz+23%	2.7 GHz
Base Clock	2.13 GHz	2.7 GHz+27%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	0 kB
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	1 MB (per core)+300%
Process	45 nm	32 nm-29%
Architecture	Clarksfield (2009−2010)	Llano (2011−2012)
PassMark	2,269	2,260

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-940XM uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X4 638 uses FM1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1333 on the Core i7-940XM versus DDR3-1866 on the Athlon II X4 638 — the Core i7-940XM supports 199.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X4 638 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 8 — 155.6% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: PM55,HM55,QM57 (Core i7-940XM) and AMD FM1 (Athlon II X4 638).

Feature	Core i7-940XM	Athlon II X4 638
Socket	PGA988	FM1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1333+44333%	DDR3-1866
Max RAM Capacity	8	64 GB+838860700%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	16	16