Phenom II X4 N970
VS
Core M-5Y10

Phenom II X4 N970 vs Core M-5Y10

AMD

Phenom II X4 N970

4 Cores4 Thrd2 WWMax: 2.2 GHz2010
VS
Intel

Core M-5Y10

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2 GHz2014

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 Core M-5Y10 is on rank 1190, so the Phenom II X4 N970 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 M-5Y10

#1178
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
5015%
#1179
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
4942%
#1180
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
4537%
#1181
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
4516%
#1182
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
4475%
#1184
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
4321%
#1185
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
4144%
#1186
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
4137%
#1187
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
4026%
#1190
Core M-5Y10
MSRP: $281|Avg: $20
100%
#1193
Celeron 900
MSRP: $86|Avg: $5
96%
#1194
Pentium T3400
MSRP: $150|Avg: $90
96%
#1195
Core 2 Solo SU3500
MSRP: $262|Avg: $15
96%
#1196
Core 2 Duo E8335
MSRP: $200|Avg: $50
94%
#1199
Celeron 560
MSRP: $89|Avg: $5
91%
#1200
Core i3-2312M
MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A
90%
#1201
Celeron 857
MSRP: $134|Avg: $10
90%
#1202
Celeron 925
MSRP: $100|Avg: $100
90%
#1203
Core 2 Duo E8135
MSRP: $200|Avg: $15
87%
#1204
Core 2 Duo U7700
MSRP: $262|Avg: $10
87%
#1205
Core Duo T2400
MSRP: $294|Avg: N/A
86%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Phenom II X4 N970 delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the Core M-5Y10 in both compute-intensive tasks (0.2% faster) and gaming workloads.
InsightPhenom II X4 N970Core M-5Y10
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($20)
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Champlain (2010−2011) / 45 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-Y (2014) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightPhenom II X4 N970Core M-5Y10
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
More affordable ($0)
⚠️ Higher cost ($20)

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Phenom II X4 N970 and Core M-5Y10

AMD

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.

Intel

Core M-5Y10

The Core M-5Y10 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 5 September 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-Y (2014) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 0.8 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1234. Thermal design power (TDP): 4.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,644 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

The Phenom II X4 N970 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core M-5Y10 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 2 GHz on the Core M-5Y10 — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Phenom II X4 N970. The Phenom II X4 N970 uses the Champlain (2010−2011) architecture (45 nm), while the Core M-5Y10 uses Broadwell-Y (2014) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom II X4 N970 scores 1,647 against the Core M-5Y10's 1,644 — a 0.2% lead for the Phenom II X4 N970.

FeaturePhenom II X4 N970Core M-5Y10
Cores / Threads
4 / 4+100%
2 / 4
Boost Clock
2.2 GHz+10%
2 GHz
Base Clock
0.8 GHz
L3 Cache
4 MB (total)
L2 Cache
2 MB+700%
256K (per core)
Process
45 nm
14 nm-69%
Architecture
Champlain (2010−2011)
Broadwell-Y (2014)
PassMark
1,647
1,644
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Phenom II X4 N970 uses the S1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core M-5Y10 uses FCBGA1234 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeaturePhenom II X4 N970Core M-5Y10
Socket
S1
FCBGA1234
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%