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AMD Athlon 740 vs AMD Ryzen 3 1200: Comparison
What is the difference between Athlon 740 and Ryzen 3 1200?
The first real difference is p-core boost clock: Athlon 740 3.7 GHz against Ryzen 3 1200 3.4 GHz. They differ on p-core base clock too, 3.2 GHz on the Athlon 740 versus 3.1 GHz on the Ryzen 3 1200. Add l2 cache to that, 4 MB on the Athlon 740 versus 2 MB on the Ryzen 3 1200, and the pattern holds. Socket is not the same on both, FM2 on the Athlon 740 versus AM4 on the Ryzen 3 1200. Product line is not the same on both, Other on the Athlon 740 versus Ryzen 3 on the Ryzen 3 1200. There is a split on form factor as well, Desktop on the Athlon 740 versus Desktops, Boxed Processor on the Ryzen 3 1200. There is a split on igpu as well, Discrete Graphics Card Required on the Athlon 740 versus None on the Ryzen 3 1200. They differ on unlocked multiplier too, No on the Athlon 740 versus Yes on the Ryzen 3 1200. They differ on memory type too, Not Listed on the Athlon 740 versus DDR4 on the Ryzen 3 1200.
Which should you buy, Athlon 740 or Ryzen 3 1200?
The Athlon 740 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 740 and Ryzen 3 1200 have in common
The common ground is wider than the gap: total cores, performance cores, efficiency cores, total threads and tdp are identical here. They match on 5 further specifications as well.
Frequently asked questions
Do the Athlon 740 and Ryzen 3 1200 differ on retail availability?
Yes. Retail Availability reads Boxed Retail on the Athlon 740 versus Retail on the Ryzen 3 1200.
Is the Integrated Graphics the same on the Athlon 740 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 740
- Other
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Ryzen 3
Form Factor
- AMD Athlon 740
- Desktop
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Desktops, Boxed Processor
Codename
- AMD Athlon 740
- Athlon Legacy
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Summit Ridge
TDP
- AMD Athlon 740
- 65 W
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 65 W
iGPU
- AMD Athlon 740
- Discrete Graphics Card Required
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- None
Market Segment
- AMD Athlon 740
- Desktop
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Desktop
Socket
- AMD Athlon 740
- FM2
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- AM4
Socket Status
- AMD Athlon 740
- End of Life
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- End of Life
Process Node
- AMD Athlon 740
- 32nm
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 14 nm
Total Cores
- AMD Athlon 740
- 4
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 4
Performance Cores
- AMD Athlon 740
- 4
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 4
Efficiency Cores
- AMD Athlon 740
- 0
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 0
Total Threads
- AMD Athlon 740
- 4
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 4
SMT Enabled
- AMD Athlon 740
- No
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- No
P-Core Base Clock
- AMD Athlon 740
- 3.2 GHz
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 3.1 GHz
P-Core Boost Clock
- AMD Athlon 740
- 3.7 GHz
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 3.4 GHz
Unlocked Multiplier
- AMD Athlon 740
- No
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Yes
L2 Cache
- AMD Athlon 740
- 4 MBBest
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 2 MB-50%
Base Power
- AMD Athlon 740
- 65 W
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- 65 W
Memory Type
- AMD Athlon 740
- Not Listed
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- DDR4
Integrated Graphics
- AMD Athlon 740
- No
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- No
Retail Availability
- AMD Athlon 740
- Boxed Retail
- AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Retail
Which one should you pick?
Choose AMD Athlon 740 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 740 | 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.