Athlon II X2 260 vs A4-9120C
Athlon II X2 260
A4-9120C
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 Athlon II X2 260 is positioned at rank 780 and the A4-9120C is on rank 855, so the Athlon II X2 260 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon II X2 260
Performance Per Dollar A4-9120C
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon II X2 260 | A4-9120C |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($12) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Regor (2009−2013) / 45 nm) | ✨ Modern (Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon II X2 260 | A4-9120C |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($12) | ✅ 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 II X2 260 and A4-9120C
Athlon II X2 260
The Athlon II X2 260 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 11 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Regor (2009−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,248 points. Launch price was $48.
A4-9120C
The A4-9120C 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. Max frequency: 1.6 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: 1,258 points. Launch price was $50.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon II X2 260 and A4-9120C share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Athlon II X2 260 versus 1.6 GHz on the A4-9120C — a 66.7% clock advantage for the Athlon II X2 260. The Athlon II X2 260 uses the Regor (2009−2013) architecture (45 nm), while the A4-9120C uses Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon II X2 260 scores 1,248 against the A4-9120C's 1,258 — a 0.8% lead for the A4-9120C.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 260 | A4-9120C |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.2 GHz+100% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz | — |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 1 MB | 1 MB |
| Process | 45 nm | 28 nm-38% |
| Architecture | Regor (2009−2013) | Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) |
| PassMark | 1,248 | 1,258 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 418 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon II X2 260 uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A4-9120C uses BGA (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 1333 on the Athlon II X2 260 versus DDR4-1866 on the A4-9120C — the Athlon II X2 260 supports 198.8% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon II X2 260 supports up to 16 of RAM compared to 8 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 2 (Athlon II X2 260) vs 1 (A4-9120C). PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon II X2 260) vs 8 (A4-9120C) — the A4-9120C offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 260 | A4-9120C |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | BGA |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | 1333+33225% | DDR4-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 | 8 GB+52428700% |
| RAM Channels | 2+100% | 1 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | 8 |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Athlon II X2 260) vs AMD-V (A4-9120C). The A4-9120C includes integrated graphics (Radeon R4), while the Athlon II X2 260 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A4-9120C targets Chromebook. Direct competitor: Athlon II X2 260 rivals Pentium E6700; A4-9120C rivals Celeron N3350.
| Feature | Athlon II X2 260 | A4-9120C |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | None | Radeon R4 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | true | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Chromebook |
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