Core i3-4120U vs Phenom II X4 X920 BE

Core i3-4120U vs Phenom II X4 X920 BE Performance Spectrum

Core i3-4120U

2 / 4

1,948

+0.7%

1,935

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

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.

Core i3-4120U vs Phenom II X4 X920 BE 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.

Core i3-4120U vs Phenom II X4 X920 BE: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i3-4120U

2014

Why buy it

✅+0.7% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel HD Graphics 4400, while Phenom II X4 X920 BE needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌25500% higher power demand at 512W vs 2W.

Phenom II X4 X920 BE

2010

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 512W, a 510W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,935 vs 1,948).
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-4120U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-4120U better than Phenom II X4 X920 BE?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Phenom II X4 X920 BE is ahead with a 0.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-4120U pulls ahead with 0.7% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-4120U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i3-4120U still makes the most sense overall. Core i3-4120U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.7% better PassMark.

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

Core i3-4120U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i3-4120U vs Phenom II X4 X920 BE Technical Specifications

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

Core i3-4120U

The Core i3-4120U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,948 points. Launch price was $281.

Phenom II X4 X920 BE

The Phenom II X4 X920 BE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,935 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i3-4120U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X4 X920 BE offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 X920 BE has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Core i3-4120U versus 2.3 GHz on the Phenom II X4 X920 BE — a 14% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 X920 BE. The Core i3-4120U uses the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture (22 nm), while the Phenom II X4 X920 BE uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-4120U scores 1,948 against the Phenom II X4 X920 BE's 1,935 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i3-4120U.

Feature	Core i3-4120U	Phenom II X4 X920 BE
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2 GHz	2.3 GHz+15%
Base Clock	2 GHz	—
L3 Cache	3 MB	—
L2 Cache	512 kB	2 MB+300%
Process	22 nm-51%	45 nm
Architecture	Haswell (2013−2015)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	1,948	1,935
Geekbench 6 Single	462	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,071	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-4120U uses the FCBGA1168 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X4 X920 BE uses S1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-4120U	Phenom II X4 X920 BE
Socket	FCBGA1168	S1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	12	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: Yes (Core i3-4120U) / not specified (Phenom II X4 X920 BE). The Core i3-4120U includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4400), while the Phenom II X4 X920 BE requires a dedicated GPU.