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#505 of 555
Overall rank
Athlon X4 970
4 cores · 4 threads · up to 4.0 GHz on AM4.
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Cores
4
Threads
4
Boost
4.0 GHz
L3 cache
TDP
65W
Socket
AM4
Performance breakdown
Gaming2
Productivity2
Single-core2
Multi-core17
Power efficiency2
Lab scores
Performance score2
Cores4
Threads4
Boost clock (GHz)4.0 GHz
Estimated gaming FPS
Paired with a high-end GPU. CPU impact is largest at 1080p.
1080p4 fps
1440p4 fps
4K2 fps
Full specifications
Processor & cores
- Architecture
- Bristol Ridge
- Process node
- 28 nm
- Socket
- AM4
- Release year
- 2017
- Total cores
- 4
- Threads
- 4
- Integrated graphics
- None
Clocks & cache
- Base clock
- 3.8 GHz
- Boost clock
- 4.0 GHz
- L1 cache
- 512 KB
- L2 cache
- 2 MB
Memory & platform
- Memory support
- DDR4
- Base power (TDP)
- 65W
- Max temperature
- 74°C
Technologies
- Extensions
- AES-NI, AVX, AMD-V
Community Feedback
What Owners Say
Owners like the low price and basic performance for light tasks. The main complaint is that it feels sluggish with modern software and lacks an integrated GPU.
Pros
- Plays modern games at low settings
- Sips power, stays whisper quiet
- Boots Windows 10 without lag
- Handles daily multitasking without fuss
Cons
- Old architecture, slow for today
- No integrated graphics support
- Lacks modern security features
Verdict
Our verdict on the Athlon X4 970
A basic quad-core desktop chip that’s fine for office work but chokes hard on anything remotely modern.
Get it if you need a dirt-cheap AM4 boot chip for basic office work or a light media PC. Skip it if you want to game or multitask—any modern budget chip will run circles around this.
Buy it if…
- You want the cheapest possible PC for basic office work.
- You're building a budget home server or NAS on a tight budget.
- You need a drop-in upgrade for an old AM4 office PC.
Leaderboard
Its place in the overall top
3.6
10 votes
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