AMD Athlon II X4 631

AMD Athlon II X4 631: Review of an Outdated Quad-Core Processor for Budget Systems (2025)

Introduction

The AMD Athlon II X4 631 processors, released in the early 2010s, can still be found on the secondary market and in old PCs. Despite their age, they remain of interest to enthusiasts of budget builds. In 2025, this chip is an artifact of its era, but we will explore who might still find it useful today.

1. Key Specifications: Architecture and Performance

Llano Architecture: A Hybrid Attempt

The Athlon II X4 631 is based on the K10.5 (Stars) microarchitecture but belongs to the Llano line, which integrated CPU and GPU on a single die. However, this model lacks integrated graphics—it is a purely CPU solution. The 32nm manufacturing process is outdated by modern standards: even budget chips in 2025 use 7–12nm.

Performance: Modest Numbers

- Geekbench 6: 323 (single-core) / 955 (multi-core). For comparison, a modern budget processor like the AMD Ryzen 3 7300X scores around ~1800/5500.

- 4 cores without multithreading: At a time when even cheap CPUs have 8 threads, this is a significant drawback.

- Base Clock Speed: 2.6 GHz (without Turbo Boost).

Key Feature: Four physical cores for a low price. In 2025, this is a rarity on the secondary market in the under $20 price range.

2. Compatible Motherboards: Hunting for Rarities

FM1 Socket: Released in 2011. Compatible chipsets include A75 and A55. New boards are no longer produced, but “new” ones can sometimes be found on AliExpress and eBay for $50–70. More often, you will find used options for $20–30.

Selection Features:

- Ports: Boards with A75 include SATA III and USB 3.0, but their actual speeds are limited by the capabilities of the CPU.

- BIOS: Updates were discontinued in 2013. Check the version before purchasing.

Example Board: ASUS F1A75-M. On the secondary market, it costs $25–40.

3. Memory Support: Only DDR3

DDR3-1866: Maximum supported frequency. Capacity—up to 64 GB (theoretically), but practically 8–16 GB is a sensible limit due to the cost of older modules.

Tip: Use dual-channel mode (2×4 GB or 2×8 GB). This will provide a 10–15% performance boost in games and multithreaded tasks.

Important: DDR4/DDR5 are not supported. New modules will not be compatible.

4. Power Supply: Modest Appetite?

TDP 100W: In practice, power consumption under load reaches 85–95W.

Recommendations:

- Power: A power supply of 400–450W is sufficient. For example, the EVGA 450 BR ($45) or be quiet! System Power 10 450W ($50).

- Certification: 80+ Bronze or higher. Don’t skimp on quality—old systems often suffer from “dead” power supplies.

Nuance: If you plan to install a discrete graphics card (e.g., GTX 1650), opt for a 500W power supply.

5. Pros and Cons: Who Might Benefit?

Pros:

- Price: The CPU can be found for $10–15 (used).

- 4 cores: Suitable for basic multitasking (browser + office tasks).

- Ease of Cooling: Even a stock cooler is sufficient.

Cons:

- Outdated Platform: No PCIe 3.0, NVMe, USB 3.1 support.

- Low IPC: Falls behind even Intel’s Haswell (2013).

- High Power Consumption: Compared to modern counterparts like the Intel Celeron G6900 (46W TDP).

6. Use Cases: What Can It Handle in 2025?

Office and Multimedia:

- Document work, browsers (up to 10 tabs), 1080p video.

- Issue: 4K streaming video will stutter due to the lack of hardware decoding.

Games:

- Older titles (Half-Life 2, Skyrim) at low settings.

- With a GTX 750 Ti, it can run GTA V at 30–40 FPS (720p).

Work Tasks:

- Not suitable for video editing, rendering, or virtualization.

7. Comparison with Competitors: Who Else is in the Same Price Segment?

- Intel Core i5-2500 (Sandy Bridge): Better single-core performance (+25%), but only 4 threads. Used—$15–20.

- AMD Phenom II X4 965: Cheaper ($8–12), but runs hotter (125W TDP).

- Intel Xeon E3-1220 v2: A server equivalent of the i5-2400 for $20—more reliable.

Conclusion: The Athlon II X4 631 falls short even against Sandy Bridge but could be a good deal when bundled with a motherboard and RAM.

8. Assembly Tips: How Not to Waste Money

- SSD is a Must: Kingston A400 240GB ($25) will reduce system “lag.”

- Graphics Card: Choose models that do not require additional power (GTX 1050 Ti, RX 560).

- Cooling: The Arctic Alpine 23 ($12) will be more than sufficient.

- Don’t Overpay for the Motherboard: If the bundle of CPU+MB+RAM exceeds $80—better to consider a modern Pentium Gold G7400 ($75 new).

9. Final Conclusion: Who is the Athlon II X4 631 For?

This processor is suitable for:

1. Upgrading Old PCs: If you already have an FM1 socket motherboard.

2. Ultra-Budget Builds: When you need to build a PC for document printing for $100.

3. Retro Hardware Enthusiasts: For experimentation or collection.

Why not to buy it in 2025?

Even new budget processors (AMD Ryzen 3 5300G, Intel Core i3-12100) are significantly more powerful, support modern standards, and consume less power. The Athlon II X4 631 is a niche option for nostalgia and extremely limited tasks.