Athlon 240GE vs Core i7-6970HQ
Athlon 240GE
Core i7-6970HQ
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.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 240GE
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-6970HQ
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon 240GE | Core i7-6970HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($110) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Zen (2017−2020) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon 240GE | Core i7-6970HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($110) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 Athlon 240GE and Core i7-6970HQ
Athlon 240GE
The Athlon 240GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 December 2018 (6 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 4,561 points. Launch price was $75.
Core i7-6970HQ
The Core i7-6970HQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 January 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,632 points. Launch price was $623.
Processing Power
The Athlon 240GE packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-6970HQ offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-6970HQ has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Athlon 240GE versus 3.7 GHz on the Core i7-6970HQ — a 5.6% clock advantage for the Core i7-6970HQ (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Athlon 240GE uses the Zen (2017−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i7-6970HQ uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 240GE scores 4,561 against the Core i7-6970HQ's 4,632 — a 1.5% lead for the Core i7-6970HQ. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon 240GE vs 8 MB on the Core i7-6970HQ.
| Feature | Athlon 240GE | Core i7-6970HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 8+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.5 GHz | 3.7 GHz+6% |
| Base Clock | 3.5 GHz+25% | 2.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 8 MB+100% |
| L2 Cache | 512K (per core) | 1 MB+100% |
| Process | 14 nm | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Zen (2017−2020) | Skylake (2015−2016) |
| PassMark | 4,561 | 4,632+2% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 930 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 2,200 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon 240GE uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-6970HQ uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Athlon 240GE | Core i7-6970HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM4 | BGA1440 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2666 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 8 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon 240GE) / not specified (Core i7-6970HQ). The Athlon 240GE includes integrated graphics (Radeon Vega 3), while the Core i7-6970HQ requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon 240GE targets Budget Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon 240GE rivals Pentium Gold G5400.
| Feature | Athlon 240GE | Core i7-6970HQ |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Radeon Vega 3 | — |
| Unlocked | Yes | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Budget Desktop | — |
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