Phenom X4 9600 vs VIA Nano QuadCore L4700

Phenom X4 9600 vs VIA Nano QuadCore L4700 Performance Spectrum

Phenom X4 9600

4 / 4

1,607

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

VIA Nano QuadCore L4700

4 / 4

1,615

+0.5%

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.

Phenom X4 9600 vs VIA Nano QuadCore L4700 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.

Phenom X4 9600 vs VIA Nano QuadCore L4700: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Phenom X4 9600

2007

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,607 vs 1,615).
❌239.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 28W.

VIA Nano QuadCore L4700

2011

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 28W instead of 95W, a 67W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is VIA Nano QuadCore L4700 better than Phenom X4 9600?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Phenom X4 9600 is ahead with a 0.9% average FPS lead across 49 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, VIA Nano QuadCore L4700 pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, VIA Nano QuadCore L4700 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

VIA Nano QuadCore L4700 still makes the most sense overall. VIA Nano QuadCore L4700 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better PassMark.

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

VIA Nano QuadCore L4700 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2011 vs 2007) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Phenom X4 9600 vs VIA Nano QuadCore L4700 Technical Specifications

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

Phenom X4 9600

The Phenom X4 9600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Agena (2007−2008) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 65 nm process technology. Socket: AM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Passmark benchmark score: 1,607 points. Launch price was $149.

VIA Nano QuadCore L4700

The VIA Nano QuadCore L4700 is manufactured by TSMC. It was released in 12 May 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the CNQ (2011) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.2 GHz, with boost up to 1.47 GHz. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 40 nm process technology. Socket: NanoBGA2. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,615 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Phenom X4 9600 and VIA Nano QuadCore L4700 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Phenom X4 9600 versus 1.47 GHz on the VIA Nano QuadCore L4700 — a 44% clock advantage for the Phenom X4 9600. The Phenom X4 9600 uses the Agena (2007−2008) architecture (65 nm), while the VIA Nano QuadCore L4700 uses CNQ (2011) (40 nm). In PassMark, the Phenom X4 9600 scores 1,607 against the VIA Nano QuadCore L4700's 1,615 — a 0.5% lead for the VIA Nano QuadCore L4700.

Feature	Phenom X4 9600	VIA Nano QuadCore L4700
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	2.3 GHz+56%	1.47 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.2 GHz
L3 Cache	2 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	1 MB (per core)+100%
Process	65 nm	40 nm-38%
Architecture	Agena (2007−2008)	CNQ (2011)
PassMark	1,607	1,615

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Memory & Platform

The Phenom X4 9600 uses the AM2+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the VIA Nano QuadCore L4700 uses NanoBGA2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.