CPU
GPU
Phenom II X4 925
Athlon II X4 638
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 Phenom II X4 925 is positioned at rank 279 and the Athlon II X4 638 is on rank 1040, so the Phenom II X4 925 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II X4 925
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X4 638
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Phenom II X4 925 | Athlon II X4 638 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($280) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Deneb (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Phenom II X4 925 | Athlon II X4 638 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($280) |
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 Phenom II X4 925 and Athlon II X4 638
Phenom II X4 925
The Phenom II X4 925 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 May 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,261 points. Launch price was $160.
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
Both the Phenom II X4 925 and Athlon II X4 638 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Phenom II X4 925 versus 2.7 GHz on the Athlon II X4 638 — a 3.6% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 925 (base: 2.8 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Phenom II X4 925 uses the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon II X4 638 uses Llano (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom II X4 925 scores 2,261 against the Athlon II X4 638's 2,260 — a 0% lead for the Phenom II X4 925. L3 cache: 6 MB (total) on the Phenom II X4 925 vs 0 kB on the Athlon II X4 638.
| Feature | Phenom II X4 925 | Athlon II X4 638 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2.8 GHz+4% | 2.7 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.8 GHz+4% | 2.7 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 1 MB (per core)+100% |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Deneb (2009−2011) | Llano (2011−2012) |
| PassMark | 2,261 | 2,260 |
Memory & Platform
The Phenom II X4 925 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon II X4 638 uses FM1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Phenom II X4 925 | Athlon II X4 638 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FM1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
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The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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