Phenom II X4 N970 vs Core i3-4005U

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Phenom II X4 N970

4 / 4

1,647

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i3-4005U

2 / 4

1,652

+0.3%

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 Core i3-4005U is on rank 295, so the Core i3-4005U 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 Phenom II X4 N970

#119

Ryzen 7 PRO 250

MSRP: $400|Avg: $380

99%

#376

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

534%

#377

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

527%

#378

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

483%

#379

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

481%

#380

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

477%

#382

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

460%

#383

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

442%

#384

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

441%

#385

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

429%

#388

Phenom II X4 N970

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#391

Core i5-1145GRE

MSRP: $362|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-4005U

#86

Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370

MSRP: $500|Avg: $500

99%

#283

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

444%

#284

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

438%

#285

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

402%

#286

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

400%

#287

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

396%

#289

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

383%

#290

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

367%

#291

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

366%

#292

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

356%

#295

Core i3-4005U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Phenom II X4 N970 leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i3-4005U is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.3% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	Phenom II X4 N970	Core i3-4005U
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks	✅ Better multi-core power
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Haswell (2013−2015) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Insight	Phenom II X4 N970	Core i3-4005U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

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.

Phenom II X4 N970 Benchmark Check

Core i3-4005U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Phenom II X4 N970 and Core i3-4005U

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.

Core i3-4005U

The Core i3-4005U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 4 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.7 GHz, with boost up to 1.7 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,652 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Phenom II X4 N970 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i3-4005U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Phenom II X4 N970 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.2 GHz on the Phenom II X4 N970 versus 1.7 GHz on the Core i3-4005U — a 25.6% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 N970. The Phenom II X4 N970 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core i3-4005U uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom II X4 N970 scores 1,647 against the Core i3-4005U's 1,652 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i3-4005U.

Feature	Phenom II X4 N970	Core i3-4005U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	2.2 GHz+29%	1.7 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.7 GHz
L3 Cache	—	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB+700%	256K (per core)
Process	45 nm	22 nm-51%
Architecture	Champlain (2010−2011)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,647	1,652

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Phenom II X4 N970 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-4005U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.