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AMD Athlon 638 vs AMD Ryzen 3 1200: Comparison
What is the difference between Athlon 638 and Ryzen 3 1200?
They are built to different briefs, and p-core base clock shows it, Athlon 638 2.7 GHz against Ryzen 3 1200 3.1 GHz. L2 cache runs the same way, 4 MB on the Athlon 638 versus 2 MB on the Ryzen 3 1200, another win for Athlon 638. Socket is not the same on both, FM1 on the Athlon 638 versus AM4 on the Ryzen 3 1200. There is a split on product line as well, Other on the Athlon 638 versus Ryzen 3 on the Ryzen 3 1200. Form factor is not the same on both, Desktop on the Athlon 638 versus Desktops, Boxed Processor on the Ryzen 3 1200. There is a split on unlocked multiplier as well, No on the Athlon 638 versus Yes on the Ryzen 3 1200. There is a split on memory type as well, Not Listed on the Athlon 638 versus DDR4 on the Ryzen 3 1200. They differ on retail availability too, Boxed Retail on the Athlon 638 versus Retail on the Ryzen 3 1200.
Which should you buy, Athlon 638 or Ryzen 3 1200?
The Athlon 638 suits Athlon platform upgrades or repairs and budget legacy builds, though it is not built for modern gaming or productivity workloads and new builds. The Ryzen 3 1200 is the one to take for mainstream desktop builds and everyday productivity, though it is the wrong buy for extreme overclocking (unless K/X-series) and workstation-class multi-threaded workloads.
What Athlon 638 and Ryzen 3 1200 have in common
Where they agree, they agree completely, total cores, performance cores, efficiency cores, total threads and tdp included, so the decision does not turn on any of those. They match on 6 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Integrated Graphics the same on the Athlon 638 and Ryzen 3 1200?
It is. Both are listed at No, so it is not a reason to pick one over the other.
Specs and benchmarks
Product Line
- AMD Athlon 638
- Other
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Ryzen 3
Form Factor
- AMD Athlon 638
- Desktop
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Desktops, Boxed Processor
Codename
- AMD Athlon 638
- Athlon Legacy
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Summit Ridge
TDP
- AMD Athlon 638
- 65 W
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 65 W
iGPU
- AMD Athlon 638
- None
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- None
Market Segment
- AMD Athlon 638
- Desktop
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Desktop
Socket
- AMD Athlon 638
- FM1
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- AM4
Socket Status
- AMD Athlon 638
- End of Life
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- End of Life
Process Node
- AMD Athlon 638
- 32nm
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 14 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Athlon 638
- 4
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 4
Performance Cores
- AMD Athlon 638
- 4
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 4
Efficiency Cores
- AMD Athlon 638
- 0
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 0
Total Threads
- AMD Athlon 638
- 4
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 4
SMT Enabled
- AMD Athlon 638
- No
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- No
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Athlon 638
- 2.7 GHz
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 3.1 GHz
Unlocked Multiplier
- AMD Athlon 638
- No
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Yes
L2 Cache
- AMD Athlon 638
- 4 MBBest
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 2 MB-50%
Base Power
- AMD Athlon 638
- 65 W
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 65 W
Memory Type
- AMD Athlon 638
- Not Listed
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- DDR4
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Athlon 638
- No
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- No
Retail Availability
- AMD Athlon 638
- Boxed Retail
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Retail
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Athlon 638 if you want the higher L2 cache (4 MB vs 2 MB).
Choose AMD Ryzen 3 1200 if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | AMD Athlon 638 | AMD Ryzen 3 1200 |
|---|---|---|
| Consumercarts listing | $109.00 View on Consumercarts listing |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.