Athlon X4 970 vs Pentium B940

Athlon X4 970 vs Pentium B940 Performance Spectrum

Athlon X4 970

4 / 4

2,644

+1.3%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium B940

2 / 2

2,610

0.0%

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 970 vs Pentium B940 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 970 vs Pentium B940: 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 970

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.9% higher average FPS across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $49 less on MSRP ($85 MSRP vs $134 MSRP).
✅Delivers 59.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 31.1 vs 19.5 PassMark/$ ($85 MSRP vs $134 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Pentium B940

2011

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon X4 970 across 46 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,610 vs 2,644).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 19.5 vs 31.1 PassMark/$ ($134 MSRP vs $85 MSRP).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon X4 970 better than Pentium B940?

Yes. Athlon X4 970 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 7.9% average FPS lead across 46 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.3% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon X4 970 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 7.9% more average FPS across 46 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon X4 970 is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon X4 970 is the better buy right now. Athlon X4 970 comes in $49 cheaper on MSRP at $85 MSRP versus $134 MSRP, and it still gives you a 7.9% average FPS lead across 46 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 59.7% better value on MSRP (31.1 vs 19.5 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Athlon X4 970 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2011) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon X4 970 vs Pentium B940 Technical Specifications

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

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.

Pentium B940

The Pentium B940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,610 points. Launch price was $134.

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Processing Power

The Athlon X4 970 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium B940 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Athlon X4 970 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Athlon X4 970 versus 2 GHz on the Pentium B940 — a 66.7% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 970 (base: 3.8 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Athlon X4 970 uses the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Pentium B940 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X4 970 scores 2,644 against the Pentium B940's 2,610 — a 1.3% lead for the Athlon X4 970. L3 cache: 0 kB on the Athlon X4 970 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B940.

Feature	Athlon X4 970	Pentium B940
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	4 GHz+100%	2 GHz
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+90%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	28 nm-13%	32 nm
Architecture	Bristol Ridge (2016−2019)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	2,644+1%	2,610

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon X4 970 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium B940 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon X4 970	Pentium B940
Socket	AM4	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	8	—

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Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon X4 970 was priced at $85, while the Pentium B940 came in at $134. On launch pricing ($85 vs $134), Athlon X4 970 was $49 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon X4 970 delivers 31.1 pts/$ vs 19.5 pts/$ for the Pentium B940 — making the Athlon X4 970 the 46% better value option.

Feature	Athlon X4 970	Pentium B940
MSRP	$85-37%	$134
Performance per Dollar	31.1+59%	19.5
Release Date	2017	2011

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