A9-9420e vs Pentium B970

CPU

GPU

A9-9420e

2 Cores2 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.5 GHz2018

Pentium B970

2 Cores2 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2012

Performance Spectrum - CPU

A9-9420e

2 / 2

1,101

+0.7%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium B970

2 / 2

1,093

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 A9-9420e is positioned at rank 833 and the Pentium B970 is on rank 1112, so the A9-9420e 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 A9-9420e

#820

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1332%

#821

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1313%

#822

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1205%

#823

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1200%

#824

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1189%

#826

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1148%

#827

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1101%

#828

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1099%

#829

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1069%

#833

A9-9420e

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#834

FX-9830P

MSRP: $150|Avg: $45

100%

#835

Celeron M P4600

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

100%

#836

Celeron 887

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

99%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium B970

#1100

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3357%

#1101

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3308%

#1102

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3037%

#1103

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3023%

#1104

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2995%

#1106

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2892%

#1107

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2773%

#1108

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2769%

#1109

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2695%

#1112

Pentium B970

MSRP: $125|Avg: $39

100%

#1113

Core i5-2410M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

99%

#1114

Pentium T2370

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

99%

#1115

Pentium N3710

MSRP: $161|Avg: $50

99%

#1116

Core m3-7Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

98%

#1117

Pentium 977

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

98%

#1118

Core i7-2715QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $50

97%

#1119

VIA Nano U2250

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

97%

#1121

Core i5-560M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

96%

#1122

Pentium U5600

MSRP: $100|Avg: $50

96%

#1123

Core m5-6Y57

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1125

Core i7-610E

MSRP: $250|Avg: $40

95%

#1126

Core i5-5350U

MSRP: $315|Avg: N/A

94%

#1127

Core i3-4100E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $30

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 A9-9420e (2018) utilizes 28 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	A9-9420e	Pentium B970
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($39)
Longevity	✨ Modern (Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) / 28 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Pentium B970 (2012) relies on 32 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	A9-9420e	Pentium B970
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	✅ More affordable ($0)	⚠️ Higher cost ($39)

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.

A9-9420e Benchmark Check

Pentium B970 Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of A9-9420e and Pentium B970

A9-9420e

The A9-9420e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 June 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 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: 1,101 points. Launch price was $69.

Pentium B970

The Pentium B970 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 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: 1,093 points. Launch price was $125.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the A9-9420e and Pentium B970 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the A9-9420e versus 2.3 GHz on the Pentium B970 — a 8.3% clock advantage for the A9-9420e. The A9-9420e uses the Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Pentium B970 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the A9-9420e scores 1,101 against the Pentium B970's 1,093 — a 0.7% lead for the A9-9420e.

Feature	A9-9420e	Pentium B970
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz+9%	2.3 GHz
Base Clock	—	2.3 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	1,101	1,093

🧠

Memory & Platform

The A9-9420e uses the BGA socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium B970 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	A9-9420e	Pentium B970
Socket	BGA	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	2133	—
Max RAM Capacity	16	—
RAM Channels	1	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	4	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (A9-9420e) / not specified (Pentium B970). The A9-9420e includes integrated graphics (Radeon R5 Graphics), while the Pentium B970 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: A9-9420e rivals Pentium N4200.