Pentium N4200 vs Phenom II X3 N870

Pentium N4200 vs Phenom II X3 N870 Performance Spectrum

Pentium N4200

4 / 4

2,158

+0.6%

2,145

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.

Pentium N4200 vs Phenom II X3 N870 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.

Pentium N4200 vs Phenom II X3 N870: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium N4200

2016

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $161 MSRP, while Phenom II X3 N870 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌33.3% higher power demand at 2W vs 1.5W.

Phenom II X3 N870

2010

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 2W, a 1W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,145 vs 2,158).

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium N4200 better than Phenom II X3 N870?

Yes. Pentium N4200 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.6% 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, Pentium N4200 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.5% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium N4200 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium N4200 is the better buy right now. Pentium N4200 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $161 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (13.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pentium N4200 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 3/3. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Pentium N4200 vs Phenom II X3 N870 Technical Specifications

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

Pentium N4200

The Pentium N4200 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.1 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB L2 Cache. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1296. Thermal design power (TDP): 6 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,158 points. Launch price was $161.

Phenom II X3 N870

The Phenom II X3 N870 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture. It features 3 cores and 3 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L2 cache: 1.5 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1g4. Thermal design power (TDP): 1.5 MB. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,145 points. Launch price was $149.

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Processing Power

The Pentium N4200 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Phenom II X3 N870 offers 3 cores / 3 threads — the Pentium N4200 has 1 more core. Boost clocks reach 2.5 GHz on the Pentium N4200 versus 2.3 GHz on the Phenom II X3 N870 — a 8.3% clock advantage for the Pentium N4200. The Pentium N4200 uses the Apollo Lake (2014−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Phenom II X3 N870 uses Champlain (2010−2011) (45 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium N4200 scores 2,158 against the Phenom II X3 N870's 2,145 — a 0.6% lead for the Pentium N4200.

Feature	Pentium N4200	Phenom II X3 N870
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+33%	3 / 3
Boost Clock	2.5 GHz+9%	2.3 GHz
Base Clock	1.1 GHz	—
L3 Cache	2 MB L2 Cache	—
L2 Cache	2 MB+33%	1.5 MB
Process	14 nm-69%	45 nm
Architecture	Apollo Lake (2014−2016)	Champlain (2010−2011)
PassMark	2,158	2,145

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium N4200 uses the FCBGA1296 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Phenom II X3 N870 uses S1g4 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.