Pentium B970 vs A9-9420e

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Pentium B970

2 / 2

1,093

0.0%

1,101

+0.7%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

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.

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 Pentium B970 is positioned at rank 1112 and the A9-9420e is on rank 833, so the A9-9420e offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium B970

#1100

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3357%

#1101

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3308%

#1102

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3037%

#1103

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3023%

#1104

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2995%

#1106

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2892%

#1107

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2773%

#1108

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2769%

#1109

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2695%

#1112

Pentium B970

MSRP: $125|Avg: $39

100%

#1113

Core i5-2410M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

99%

#1114

Pentium T2370

MSRP: $86|Avg: $10

99%

#1115

Pentium N3710

MSRP: $161|Avg: $50

99%

#1116

Core m3-7Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

98%

#1117

Pentium 977

MSRP: $134|Avg: $10

98%

#1118

Core i7-2715QE

MSRP: $378|Avg: $50

97%

#1119

VIA Nano U2250

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

97%

#1121

Core i5-560M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

96%

#1122

Pentium U5600

MSRP: $100|Avg: $50

96%

#1123

Core m5-6Y57

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1125

Core i7-610E

MSRP: $250|Avg: $40

95%

#1126

Core i5-5350U

MSRP: $315|Avg: N/A

94%

#1127

Core i3-4100E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $30

94%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar A9-9420e

#820

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1332%

#821

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1313%

#822

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1205%

#823

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1200%

#824

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1189%

#826

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1148%

#827

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1101%

#828

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1099%

#829

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1069%

#833

A9-9420e

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#834

FX-9830P

MSRP: $150|Avg: $45

100%

#835

Celeron M P4600

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

100%

#836

Celeron 887

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

99%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The A9-9420e (2018) utilizes 28 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	Pentium B970	A9-9420e
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($39)	✅ More affordable ($0)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm)	✨ Modern (Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) / 28 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Pentium B970 (2012) relies on 32 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	Pentium B970	A9-9420e
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($39)	✅ More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

Pentium B970 Benchmark Check

A9-9420e Benchmark Check

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Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Pentium B970 and A9-9420e

Pentium B970

The Pentium B970 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 January 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 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: 1,093 points. Launch price was $125.

A9-9420e

The A9-9420e is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 June 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.5 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: BGA. Thermal design power (TDP): 1 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,101 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the Pentium B970 and A9-9420e share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Pentium B970 versus 2.5 GHz on the A9-9420e — a 8.3% clock advantage for the A9-9420e. The Pentium B970 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the A9-9420e uses Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium B970 scores 1,093 against the A9-9420e's 1,101 — a 0.7% lead for the A9-9420e.

Feature	Pentium B970	A9-9420e
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.3 GHz	2.5 GHz+9%
Base Clock	2.3 GHz	—
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	1 MB+300%
Process	32 nm	28 nm-13%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)	Stoney Ridge (2016−2019)
PassMark	1,093	1,101

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium B970 uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A9-9420e uses BGA (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium B970	A9-9420e
Socket	PGA988	BGA
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	—	2133
Max RAM Capacity	—	16
RAM Channels	—	1
ECC Support	—	❌
PCIe Lanes	—	4

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium B970) / true (A9-9420e). The A9-9420e includes integrated graphics (Radeon R5 Graphics), while the Pentium B970 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: A9-9420e rivals Pentium N4200.