A4-9120 vs Pentium 997

A4-9120

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.5 GHz2017

Pentium 997

2 Cores2 Thrd17 WWMax: 1.6 GHz2012

Performance Spectrum - CPU

A4-9120

2 / 2

1,222

+0.6%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium 997

2 / 2

1,215

0.0%

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 A4-9120 is positioned at rank 871 and the Pentium 997 is on rank 1104, so the A4-9120 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar A4-9120

#859

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1440%

#860

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1419%

#861

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1303%

#862

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1297%

#863

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1285%

#865

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1241%

#866

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1190%

#867

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1188%

#868

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1156%

#871

A4-9120

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#873

Celeron M 540

MSRP: $86|Avg: $20

100%

#877

Microsoft SQ1

MSRP: $300|Avg: $180

99%

#879

Core i5-6440HQ

MSRP: $250|Avg: N/A

99%

#882

Celeron Dual-Core T1600

MSRP: $150|Avg: $150

98%

#884

Athlon II N330

MSRP: $100|Avg: $50

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium 997

#1092

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3235%

#1093

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3187%

#1094

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2926%

#1095

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2913%

#1096

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2886%

#1098

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2787%

#1099

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2673%

#1100

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2668%

#1101

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2596%

#1104

Pentium 997

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

100%

#1105

Pentium A1018

MSRP: $132|Avg: $15

99%

#1106

Core i5-2430M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

99%

#1108

Pentium Dual Core T4500

MSRP: $150|Avg: $30

98%

#1109

Celeron B820

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

98%

#1110

Pentium B980

MSRP: $125|Avg: $35

97%

#1111

Celeron 867

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

97%

#1112

Pentium B970

MSRP: $125|Avg: $39

96%

#1113

Core i5-2410M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

96%

#1114

Pentium T2370

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

95%

#1115

Pentium N3710

MSRP: $161|Avg: $50

95%

#1116

Core m3-7Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1117

Pentium 977

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

94%

#1118

Core i7-2715QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $50

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The A4-9120 (2017) utilizes 28 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	A4-9120	Pentium 997
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($10)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) / 28 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Pentium 997 (2012) relies on 32 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	A4-9120	Pentium 997
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($10)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

A4-9120 Benchmark Check

Pentium 997 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of A4-9120 and Pentium 997

A4-9120

The A4-9120 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: BGA. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,222 points. Launch price was $50.

Pentium 997

The Pentium 997 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,215 points. Launch price was $134.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the A4-9120 and Pentium 997 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the A4-9120 versus 1.6 GHz on the Pentium 997 — a 43.9% clock advantage for the A4-9120 (base: 2.2 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The A4-9120 uses the Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Pentium 997 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the A4-9120 scores 1,222 against the Pentium 997's 1,215 — a 0.6% lead for the A4-9120.

Feature	A4-9120	Pentium 997
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz+56%	1.6 GHz
Base Clock	2.2 GHz+38%	1.6 GHz
L3 Cache	—	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB+300%	256K (per core)
Process	28 nm-13%	32 nm
Architecture	Stoney Ridge (2016−2019)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	1,222	1,215
Geekbench 6 Single	350	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The A4-9120 uses the BGA socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium 997 uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	A4-9120	Pentium 997
Socket	BGA	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2133	—
Max RAM Capacity	8 GB	—
RAM Channels	1	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	8	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (A4-9120) / not specified (Pentium 997). The A4-9120 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R3), while the Pentium 997 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A4-9120 targets Entry Laptop. Direct competitor: A4-9120 rivals Celeron N3350.