Phenom II X2 N640 vs Celeron 1017U

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Phenom II X2 N640

2 / 2

1,505

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Celeron 1017U

2 / 2

1,508

+0.2%

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 Phenom II X2 N640 is positioned at rank 977 and the Celeron 1017U is on rank 975, so the Celeron 1017U 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 Phenom II X2 N640

#965

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1950%

#966

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1921%

#967

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1763%

#968

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1755%

#969

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1739%

#971

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1680%

#972

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1611%

#973

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1608%

#974

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1565%

#977

Phenom II X2 N640

MSRP: $100|Avg: $55

100%

#978

A10-8700P

MSRP: $150|Avg: $40

100%

#982

Athlon II Neo K125

MSRP: $100|Avg: $100

99%

#986

Pro A8-8600B

MSRP: $150|Avg: $25

98%

#991

Pentium 8500

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

96%

#992

A6-8500P

MSRP: $100|Avg: $16

96%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Celeron 1017U

#963

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1946%

#964

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1917%

#965

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1760%

#966

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1752%

#967

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1736%

#969

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1676%

#970

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1607%

#971

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1605%

#972

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1562%

#975

Celeron 1017U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#977

Phenom II X2 N640

MSRP: $100|Avg: $55

100%

#978

A10-8700P

MSRP: $150|Avg: $40

100%

#982

Athlon II Neo K125

MSRP: $100|Avg: $100

99%

#986

Pro A8-8600B

MSRP: $150|Avg: $25

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Phenom II X2 N640 leads in gaming performance. However, the Celeron 1017U is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.2% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Phenom II X2 N640	Celeron 1017U
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($55)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Phenom II X2 N640	Celeron 1017U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($55)	✅ More affordable ($0)

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.

Phenom II X2 N640 Benchmark Check

Celeron 1017U Benchmark Check

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Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Phenom II X2 N640 and Celeron 1017U

Phenom II X2 N640

The Phenom II X2 N640 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.9 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,505 points. Launch price was $149.

Celeron 1017U

The Celeron 1017U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,508 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Phenom II X2 N640 and Celeron 1017U share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.9 GHz on the Phenom II X2 N640 versus 1.6 GHz on the Celeron 1017U — a 57.8% clock advantage for the Phenom II X2 N640. The Phenom II X2 N640 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Celeron 1017U uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom II X2 N640 scores 1,505 against the Celeron 1017U's 1,508 — a 0.2% lead for the Celeron 1017U.

Feature	Phenom II X2 N640	Celeron 1017U
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.9 GHz+81%	1.6 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.6 GHz
L3 Cache	—	2 MB
L2 Cache	2 MB+300%	512 kB
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Champlain (2010−2011)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	1,505	1,508
Geekbench 6 Single	300	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	422	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Phenom II X2 N640 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Celeron 1017U uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Celeron 1017U supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: RS880M (Phenom II X2 N640) and Intel FCBGA1023 (Celeron 1017U).

Feature	Phenom II X2 N640	Celeron 1017U
Socket	S1	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1333	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	32 GB+300%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	❌
PCIe Lanes	16	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Phenom II X2 N640) / not specified (Celeron 1017U). The Celeron 1017U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)), while the Phenom II X2 N640 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Phenom II X2 N640 targets Legacy Laptop.