Core i7-940 vs PRO A10-9700E

Intel

Core i7-940

4 Cores8 Thrd1 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2008
VS
AMD

PRO A10-9700E

4 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2016

Core i7-940 vs PRO A10-9700E Performance Spectrum

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 i7-940 vs PRO A10-9700E 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 i7-940 vs PRO A10-9700E: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i7-940

2008

Why buy it

  • βœ…Better for gaming: +4.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • βœ…Draws 1W instead of 35W, a 34W reduction.
  • βœ…100+% more PCIe lanes (36 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Lower PassMark (3,029 vs 3,057).
  • ❌Launch MSRP is still $562 MSRP, while PRO A10-9700E mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

PRO A10-9700E

2016

Why buy it

  • βœ…+0.9% higher PassMark.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-940 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ❌3400% higher power demand at 35W vs 1W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-940 better than PRO A10-9700E?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-940 is ahead with a 4.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, PRO A10-9700E pulls ahead with 0.9% better PassMark.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, PRO A10-9700E is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.9% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Core i7-940 is the better buy right now. Core i7-940 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $562 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. The compromise is that PRO A10-9700E is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 0.9% better PassMark. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (5.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 A10-9700E 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 A10-9700E makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2008) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i7-940 vs PRO A10-9700E Technical Specifications

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

Intel

Core i7-940

The Core i7-940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in Novembro 2008 (17 years ago). It is based on the Bloomfield (2008βˆ’2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.93 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1366. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,029 points. Launch price was $299.

AMD

PRO A10-9700E

The PRO A10-9700E is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 3 October 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016βˆ’2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,057 points. Launch price was $69.

⚑

Processing Power

The Core i7-940 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the PRO A10-9700E's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Core i7-940 versus 3.5 GHz on the PRO A10-9700E β€” a 9% clock advantage for the PRO A10-9700E (base: 2.93 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i7-940 uses the Bloomfield (2008βˆ’2010) architecture (45 nm), while the PRO A10-9700E uses Bristol Ridge (2016βˆ’2019) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-940 scores 3,029 against the PRO A10-9700E's 3,057 β€” a 0.9% lead for the PRO A10-9700E.

FeatureCore i7-940PRO A10-9700E
Cores / Threads
4 / 8
4 / 4
Boost Clock
3.2 GHz
3.5 GHz+9%
Base Clock
2.93 GHz
3 GHz+2%
L3 Cache
8 MB (total)
β€”
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
2048 kB+700%
Process
45 nm
28 nm-38%
Architecture
Bloomfield (2008βˆ’2010)
Bristol Ridge (2016βˆ’2019)
PassMark
3,029
3,057
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-940 uses the LGA1366 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the PRO A10-9700E uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) β€” making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i7-940PRO A10-9700E
Socket
LGA1366
AM4
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1066
β€”
Max RAM Capacity
24 GB
β€”
RAM Channels
3
β€”
ECC Support
No
β€”
PCIe Lanes
36
β€”
πŸ”§

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Core i7-940) / not specified (PRO A10-9700E). Primary use case: Core i7-940 targets Desktop.

FeatureCore i7-940PRO A10-9700E
Integrated GPU
No
β€”
Unlocked
No
β€”
AVX-512
No
β€”
Virtualization
VT-x
β€”
Target Use
Desktop
β€”