A12-9720P vs Pentium B940
A12-9720P
Pentium B940
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 A12-9720P is positioned at rank 1016 and the Pentium B940 is on rank 895, so the Pentium B940 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar A12-9720P
Performance Per Dollar Pentium B940
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | A12-9720P | Pentium B940 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) | ✅ More affordable ($11) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) / 28 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | A12-9720P | Pentium B940 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+126%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) | ✅ More affordable ($11) |
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 A12-9720P and Pentium B940
A12-9720P
The A12-9720P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,622 points. Launch price was $130.
Pentium B940
The Pentium B940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,610 points. Launch price was $134.
Processing Power
The A12-9720P packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium B940 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the A12-9720P has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the A12-9720P versus 2 GHz on the Pentium B940 — a 57.1% clock advantage for the A12-9720P (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2 GHz). The A12-9720P uses the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Pentium B940 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the A12-9720P scores 2,622 against the Pentium B940's 2,610 — a 0.5% lead for the A12-9720P.
| Feature | A12-9720P | Pentium B940 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz+80% | 2 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.7 GHz+35% | 2 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+700% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 28 nm-13% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 2,622 | 2,610 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 529 | — |
Memory & Platform
The A12-9720P uses the FP4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium B940 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | A12-9720P | Pentium B940 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FP4 | PGA988 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-1866 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 8 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (A12-9720P) / not specified (Pentium B940). The A12-9720P includes integrated graphics (Radeon R7), while the Pentium B940 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A12-9720P targets Laptop. Direct competitor: A12-9720P rivals Core i5-7200U.
| Feature | A12-9720P | Pentium B940 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Radeon R7 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Laptop | — |
Value Analysis
The A12-9720P launched at $200 MSRP, while the Pentium B940 debuted at $134. At current prices ($25 vs $11), the Pentium B940 is $14 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the A12-9720P delivers 104.9 pts/$ vs 237.3 pts/$ for the Pentium B940 — making the Pentium B940 the 77.4% better value option.
| Feature | A12-9720P | Pentium B940 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $200 | $134-33% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $25 | $11-56% |
| Performance per Dollar | 104.9 | 237.3+126% |
| Release Date | 2016 | 2011 |
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