Athlon X4 840 vs PRO A8-9600

Athlon X4 840 vs PRO A8-9600 Performance Spectrum

Athlon X4 840

4 / 4

3,331

+0.4%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

PRO A8-9600

4 / 4

3,318

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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.

Athlon X4 840 vs PRO A8-9600 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Athlon X4 840 vs PRO A8-9600: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon X4 840

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $102 MSRP, while PRO A8-9600 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

PRO A8-9600

2016

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon X4 840 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,318 vs 3,331).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon X4 840 better than PRO A8-9600?

Yes. Athlon X4 840 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 3.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.4% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon X4 840 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 3.9% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon X4 840 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Athlon X4 840 is the better buy right now. Athlon X4 840 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $102 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (32.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, PRO A8-9600 can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

PRO A8-9600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2014). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon X4 840 vs PRO A8-9600 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Athlon X4 840

The Athlon X4 840 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Kaveri (2014−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,331 points. Launch price was $149.

PRO A8-9600

The PRO A8-9600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 3 October 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,318 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon X4 840 and PRO A8-9600 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Athlon X4 840 versus 3.4 GHz on the PRO A8-9600 — a 11.1% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 840 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 3.1 GHz). The Athlon X4 840 uses the Kaveri (2014−2015) architecture (28 nm), while the PRO A8-9600 uses Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X4 840 scores 3,331 against the PRO A8-9600's 3,318 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon X4 840.

Feature	Athlon X4 840	PRO A8-9600
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz+12%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	3.1 GHz	3.1 GHz
L2 Cache	4 MB+100%	2048 kB
Process	28 nm	28 nm
Architecture	Kaveri (2014−2015)	Bristol Ridge (2016−2019)
PassMark	3,331	3,318

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon X4 840 uses the FM2+ socket (PCIe 3.0), while the PRO A8-9600 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.