AMD Athlon 240GE vs Intel Processor N97 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark comparison between the Intel Processor N97 and the AMD Athlon 240GE reveals a split personality. The Intel part dominates single-threaded workloads across the board, while the AMD chip takes the newer multi-core test. The recorded data shows four head-to-head Cinebench comparisons, with the Intel Processor N97 winning three and the AMD Athlon 240GE winning one.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Intel Processor N97 scores 479 against the Athlon 240GE's 390. That is a 22.8% advantage for Intel. The gap widens dramatically in Cinebench R15 single-core, where Intel posts 161 versus AMD's 54. This is a 198.1% difference, meaning the N97 nearly triples the Athlon's single-core output in this older test. The magnitude of that single-core gap is striking, especially considering the Athlon's higher base clock.

The picture flips in Cinebench R23 multi-core. Here the AMD Athlon 240GE scores 3876, while the Intel Processor N97 manages 2913. The delta is 24.8% in AMD's favor. This is the only test where the Athlon wins, but it is a substantial margin. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel returns to form with 973 against AMD's 547, a 77.9% lead.

Interpreting these results requires attention to the test versions. The R15 suite is older and often behaves differently from R23. The Athlon 240GE's R23 multi-core win suggests that under sustained multi-threaded load, its architecture can outperform the Intel part despite having fewer physical cores. Yet the R15 multi-core result contradicts that, with Intel ahead by 22.8%. This inconsistency points to workload-specific behaviors rather than a simple core-count advantage.

The average benchmark scores place both processors at the same percentile. The Intel Processor N97 has an average benchmark score of 1132, and the AMD Athlon 240GE sits at 1121. Both occupy the 32nd percentile among all CPUs in the database. The nearest rivals for the Intel part include the Intel Core i3-10110U at 1131 (0.1% delta), the Intel Pentium Gold G5500 at 1130 (0.2%), and the Intel Core i5-4690T at 1129 (0.3%). The Athlon's nearest rivals include the Intel Xeon D-1518 at 1121 (0% delta) and the Intel Core i7-2860QM at 1120 (0.1%). These percentile figures indicate that despite the head-to-head differences, both processors occupy a similar tier in the overall performance distribution.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Processor N97 uses the Gracemont architecture, which is Intel's efficiency-oriented core design, built on a 10 nm process node by Intel itself. It belongs to the Alder Lake-N generation and contains 4 cores with 4 threads. The base clock is 2000 MHz with a boost clock of 3.60 GHz. The thermal design power is just 12 watts, reflecting its mobile-focused efficiency goals. The socket is Intel BGA 1264, and the market segment is explicitly mobile.

The AMD Athlon 240GE uses the Zen architecture, specifically the Raven Ridge variant, fabricated on a 14 nm process node by GlobalFoundries. It has 2 cores and 4 threads, relying on simultaneous multithreading to reach that thread count. The base clock is 3500 MHz, and there is no boost clock listed in the database. The thermal design power is 35 watts, nearly three times that of the Intel part. It uses the AMD Socket AM4 and targets the desktop segment. The die size is 209.8 mm² with 4,950 million transistors.

Cache configurations differ in structure. Both have a 96 KB L1 cache per core. The Intel Processor N97 has 2 MB of shared L2 cache and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Athlon 240GE has 512 KB of L2 cache per core and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The L3 difference favors Intel by 2 MB, but the per-core L2 allocation on the AMD part is larger for each of its two cores.

Memory support also diverges. The Intel Processor N97 supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, but only through a single-channel memory bus with a theoretical bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The AMD Athlon 240GE supports DDR4 only, but through a dual-channel memory bus with a bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s. The dual-channel configuration gives AMD a bandwidth advantage of 4.3 GB/s, which can matter in memory-sensitive workloads.

PCIe connectivity is comparable in generation but slightly different in lane count. The Intel part offers PCIe Gen 3 with 9 lanes (CPU only), while the AMD part offers PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only). The one-lane difference is minor but real. Integrated graphics differ as well: the Intel Processor N97 includes UHD Graphics 730, while the AMD Athlon 240GE includes Radeon Vega 3. Neither supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

The release dates show a significant generational gap. The AMD Athlon 240GE launched in December 2018. The Intel Processor N97 launched in January 2023, over four years later. The production status for both is listed as Active. The part numbers are SRMLM for Intel and YD240GC6M2OFB for AMD.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Processor N97 is the clear winner in single-threaded performance across both Cinebench R15 and R23. The 198.1% advantage in R15 single-core is the largest margin in the entire comparison. For workloads that depend on a single thread, such as older applications, lightly threaded games, or responsive desktop interaction, the N97 offers substantially better performance. The 77.9% lead in R23 single-core reinforces this pattern, showing that the advantage holds even in the newer test suite.

The Intel part also wins the older multi-core test. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it leads by 22.8%. This suggests that for legacy multi-threaded applications, the N97's four physical cores can outperform the Athlon's two cores with four threads. The higher boost clock of 3.60 GHz on Intel, combined with the newer architecture, likely contributes to this result.

The AMD Athlon 240GE wins only in Cinebench R23 multi-core, but it wins decisively with a 24.8% margin. This is the most modern and demanding multi-threaded test in the comparison. For contemporary multi-threaded workloads, such as video encoding, 3D rendering, or compilation tasks that scale well across threads, the Athlon 240GE demonstrates superior throughput. The dual-channel memory bus and higher bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s may also help in these scenarios.

The use-case split is therefore clear. Users whose primary workloads are single-threaded or rely on older multi-threaded software should favor the Intel Processor N97. Users who run modern multi-threaded applications that can fully utilize four threads will see better results from the AMD Athlon 240GE. The thermal envelope also matters: the Intel part draws only 12 watts, making it suitable for fanless or passively cooled mobile designs, while the 35 watt AMD part requires more substantial cooling.

The integrated graphics present another consideration. The Intel UHD Graphics 730 versus the AMD Radeon Vega 3 means that for basic display output and light media acceleration, both are capable, but the database does not provide direct graphics benchmarks for either. The market segment difference, mobile versus desktop, further shapes where each processor fits.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every major specification. Core count: 4 cores for Intel, 2 cores for AMD. Thread count: 4 threads for both, but achieved differently, 4 physical cores on Intel versus 2 cores with multithreading on AMD. Base clock: 2000 MHz on Intel versus 3500 MHz on AMD. Boost clock: Intel has 3.60 GHz, AMD has no boost clock listed. TDP: 12 watts for Intel, 35 watts for AMD. Socket: Intel BGA 1264 versus AMD Socket AM4. Architecture: Gracemont versus Zen. Process node: 10 nm versus 14 nm. Foundry: Intel versus GlobalFoundries.

Cache: Intel has 2 MB shared L2 and 6 MB shared L3; AMD has 512 KB per core L2 and 4 MB shared L3. Memory support: Intel supports DDR4 and DDR5, AMD supports DDR4 only. Memory bus: single-channel on Intel, dual-channel on AMD. Memory bandwidth: 38.4 GB/s versus 42.7 GB/s. PCIe: 9 lanes on Intel, 8 lanes on AMD, both Gen 3. Integrated graphics: UHD Graphics 730 versus Radeon Vega 3. Market segment: mobile versus desktop. Release date: January 2023 versus December 2018. Die size: AMD lists 209.8 mm², Intel lists none. Transistors: AMD lists 4,950 million, Intel lists none.

The AMD Athlon 240GE has a launch MSRP of $75. The Intel Processor N97 has no launch MSRP listed.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The Intel Processor N97 has 4 physical cores. The AMD Athlon 240GE has 2 physical cores but reaches 4 threads through simultaneous multithreading.

Q: Why does the AMD Athlon 240GE win Cinebench R23 multi-core despite having fewer cores?

A: The Athlon 240GE scores 3876 in Cinebench R23 multi-core versus the Intel N97's 2913, a 24.8% advantage. Its higher base clock of 3500 MHz and dual-channel memory bus with 42.7 GB/s bandwidth likely contribute to this result.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two processors?

A: The largest gap is in Cinebench R15 single-core, where the Intel Processor N97 scores 161 versus the AMD Athlon 240GE's 54, a 198.1% difference in Intel's favor.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. Both the Intel Processor N97 and the AMD Athlon 240GE list ECC memory support as false.

Q: Which processor was released more recently?

A: The Intel Processor N97 was released in January 2023. The AMD Athlon 240GE was released in December 2018.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Processor N97 has an average benchmark score of 1132, while the AMD Athlon 240GE has an average score of 1121. Both sit at the 32nd percentile among all CPUs in the database.