Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz vs AMD Athlon II X4 640
The AMD Athlon II X4 640 is the faster chip for gaming by roughly 167%. Here is the full spec-by-spec breakdown.
| Specification | Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz | AMD Athlon II X4 640 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming score | 3/100 | 8/100 |
| Tier | F | F |
| Manufacturer | Intel | AMD |
| Cores | 1 | 4 |
| Threads | 2 | 4 |
| Base clock | 3 GHz | 3 GHz |
| Boost clock | 3 GHz | 3 GHz |
| Power draw (TDP) | 84 W | 95 W |
| Release year | 2004 | 2010 |
Which should you buy?
For gaming specifically, the AMD Athlon II X4 640 is the better buy — it holds a 167% lead in our index, which shows up most at 1080p and in CPU-bound titles like strategy and simulation games. The AMD Athlon II X4 640 has more cores (4 vs 1), which helps if you stream, compile or render alongside playing. The Intel Pentium 4 3.0GHz runs 11W cooler, meaning a cheaper cooler and less case heat. Either way, pair it with a graphics card of similar standing — check the bottleneck calculator before you buy.