CPU
GPU
Athlon X4 970
A12-9720P
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 970 is positioned at rank 582 and the A12-9720P is on rank 1016, so the Athlon X4 970 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 970
Performance Per Dollar A12-9720P
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon X4 970 | A12-9720P |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($85) | ✅ More affordable ($25) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) / 28 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon X4 970 | A12-9720P |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+237%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($85) | ✅ More affordable ($25) |
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 970 and A12-9720P
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.
A12-9720P
The A12-9720P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,622 points. Launch price was $130.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon X4 970 and A12-9720P share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Athlon X4 970 versus 3.6 GHz on the A12-9720P — a 10.5% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 970 (base: 3.8 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). Both are built on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture using a 28 nm process. In PassMark, the Athlon X4 970 scores 2,644 against the A12-9720P's 2,622 — a 0.8% lead for the Athlon X4 970.
| Feature | Athlon X4 970 | A12-9720P |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz+11% | 3.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.8 GHz+41% | 2.7 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | — |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 2 MB+300% |
| Process | 28 nm | 28 nm |
| Architecture | Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) | Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) |
| PassMark | 2,644 | 2,622 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 529 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon X4 970 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the A12-9720P uses FP4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2400 memory speed. The Athlon X4 970 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 8 PCIe lanes.
| Feature | Athlon X4 970 | A12-9720P |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM4 | FP4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2400 | DDR4-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB+300% | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 8 | 8 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Athlon X4 970) / AMD-V (A12-9720P). The A12-9720P includes integrated graphics (Radeon R7), while the Athlon X4 970 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A12-9720P targets Laptop. Direct competitor: A12-9720P rivals Core i5-7200U.
| Feature | Athlon X4 970 | A12-9720P |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Radeon R7 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Laptop |
Value Analysis
The Athlon X4 970 launched at $85 MSRP, while the A12-9720P debuted at $200. At current prices ($85 vs $25), the A12-9720P is $60 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon X4 970 delivers 31.1 pts/$ vs 104.9 pts/$ for the A12-9720P — making the A12-9720P the 108.5% better value option.
| Feature | Athlon X4 970 | A12-9720P |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $85-57% | $200 |
| Avg Price (30d) | $85 | $25-71% |
| Performance per Dollar | 31.1 | 104.9+237% |
| Release Date | 2017 | 2016 |
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