CPU
GPU
Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition
Athlon X4 870K
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition is positioned at rank 146 and the Athlon X4 870K is on rank 515, so the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X4 870K
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition | Athlon X4 870K |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Deneb (2009−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Godaveri (2014−2016) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition | Athlon X4 870K |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($35) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition and Athlon X4 870K
Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition
The Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: AM3. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,489 points. Launch price was $149.
Athlon X4 870K
The Athlon X4 870K is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Godaveri (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 3,443 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
Both the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition and Athlon X4 870K share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2 GHz on the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition versus 4.1 GHz on the Athlon X4 870K — a 68.9% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 870K. The Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition uses the Deneb (2009−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon X4 870K uses Godaveri (2014−2016) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition scores 3,489 against the Athlon X4 870K's 3,443 — a 1.3% lead for the Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition.
| Feature | Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition | Athlon X4 870K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 2 GHz | 4.1 GHz+105% |
| Base Clock | — | 3.9 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 6 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core) | 4 MB+700% |
| Process | 45 nm | 28 nm-38% |
| Architecture | Deneb (2009−2011) | Godaveri (2014−2016) |
| PassMark | 3,489+1% | 3,443 |
Memory & Platform
The Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition uses the AM3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon X4 870K uses FM2+ (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition | Athlon X4 870K |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3 | FM2+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-2133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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