Athlon X4 740 vs Athlon X4 970
Athlon X4 740
Athlon X4 970
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 X4 740 is positioned at rank 528 and the Athlon X4 970 is on rank 582, so the Athlon X4 740 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X4 740
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X4 970
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon X4 740 | Athlon X4 970 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($71) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($85) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Trinity (2012−2013) / 32 nm) | ✨ Modern (Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon X4 740 | Athlon X4 970 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+20%) | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($71) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($85) |
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 X4 740 and Athlon X4 970
Athlon X4 740
The Athlon X4 740 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 2,646 points. Launch price was $149.
Athlon X4 970
The Athlon X4 970 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 2,644 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon X4 740 and Athlon X4 970 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Athlon X4 740 versus 4 GHz on the Athlon X4 970 — a 7.8% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 970 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Athlon X4 740 uses the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Athlon X4 970 uses Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X4 740 scores 2,646 against the Athlon X4 970's 2,644 — a 0.1% lead for the Athlon X4 740.
| Feature | Athlon X4 740 | Athlon X4 970 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.7 GHz | 4 GHz+8% |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz | 3.8 GHz+19% |
| L3 Cache | — | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 4 MB (total)+700% | 512 kB (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 28 nm-13% |
| Architecture | Trinity (2012−2013) | Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) |
| PassMark | 2,646 | 2,644 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon X4 740 uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon X4 970 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1866 on the Athlon X4 740 versus DDR4-2400 on the Athlon X4 970 — the Athlon X4 970 supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 64 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Athlon X4 740) vs 8 (Athlon X4 970) — the Athlon X4 740 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD FM2 (Athlon X4 740) and AMD AM4 (Athlon X4 970).
| Feature | Athlon X4 740 | Athlon X4 970 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FM2 | AM4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1866 | DDR4-2400+33% |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16+100% | 8 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon X4 740) / not specified (Athlon X4 970). Primary use case: Athlon X4 740 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Athlon X4 740 | Athlon X4 970 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Desktop | — |
Value Analysis
The Athlon X4 740 launched at $71 MSRP, while the Athlon X4 970 debuted at $85. At current prices ($71 vs $85), the Athlon X4 740 is $14 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon X4 740 delivers 37.3 pts/$ vs 31.1 pts/$ for the Athlon X4 970 — making the Athlon X4 740 the 18% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon X4 740 | Athlon X4 970 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $71-16% | $85 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $71-16% | $85 |
| Performance per Dollar | 37.3+20% | 31.1 |
| Release Date | 2012 | 2017 |
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