CPU
GPU
Phenom II X4 N970
Athlon 64 FX-74
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 X4 N970 is positioned at rank 388 and the Athlon 64 FX-74 is on rank 1087, so the Phenom II X4 N970 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 X4 N970
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 64 FX-74
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Phenom II X4 N970 | Athlon 64 FX-74 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Windsor (2006−2007) / 90 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Phenom II X4 N970 | Athlon 64 FX-74 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($50) |
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 X4 N970 and Athlon 64 FX-74
Phenom II X4 N970
The Phenom II X4 N970 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: 2.2 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: S1. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Passmark benchmark score: 1,647 points. Launch price was $149.
Athlon 64 FX-74
The Athlon 64 FX-74 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Novembro 2006 (19 years ago). It is based on the Windsor (2006−2007) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: F. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR1. Passmark benchmark score: 1,658 points. Launch price was $500.
Processing Power
The Phenom II X4 N970 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon 64 FX-74 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the Phenom II X4 N970 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Phenom II X4 N970 versus 3 GHz on the Athlon 64 FX-74 — a 30.8% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 FX-74. The Phenom II X4 N970 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon 64 FX-74 uses Windsor (2006−2007) (90 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom II X4 N970 scores 1,647 against the Athlon 64 FX-74's 1,658 — a 0.7% lead for the Athlon 64 FX-74.
| Feature | Phenom II X4 N970 | Athlon 64 FX-74 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 2.2 GHz | 3 GHz+36% |
| L3 Cache | — | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 2 MB+100% | 1 MB |
| Process | 45 nm-50% | 90 nm |
| Architecture | Champlain (2010−2011) | Windsor (2006−2007) |
| PassMark | 1,647 | 1,658 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 400 |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 750 |
Memory & Platform
The Phenom II X4 N970 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon 64 FX-74 uses F (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Phenom II X4 N970 | Athlon 64 FX-74 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | S1 | F |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0+82% | PCIe 1.1 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR2 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Phenom II X4 N970) / AMD-V (Athlon 64 FX-74). Primary use case: Athlon 64 FX-74 targets Budget. Direct competitor: Athlon 64 FX-74 rivals Pentium Extreme Edition 965.
| Feature | Phenom II X4 N970 | Athlon 64 FX-74 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Budget |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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