AMD Athlon Silver 10 vs AMD Athlon X4 970 Comparison

The AMD Athlon X4 970 and AMD Athlon Silver 10 are two processors that, despite a near-identical average benchmark score, target entirely different workloads. The X4 970, a 2017 desktop part built on Excavator, leverages four physical cores to dominate multi-threaded throughput. The Silver 10, a 2025 mobile part built on Zen 2, counters with a significantly stronger single-thread performance and efficiency. The data shows a split decision: the X4 970 wins six of eleven head-to-head tests, while the Silver 10 takes five, making the choice entirely dependent on the user's primary application.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Athlon X4 970 is the clear choice for workloads that scale with core count and raw integer throughput. Its four cores and four threads provide a substantial advantage in tasks like data compression, integer math, and multi-threaded rendering. In the data, the X4 970 wins the PassMark multithread test with a score of 3625 against the Silver 10's 3543, and it dominates the integer math test with a 105% lead. This makes it the superior option for users running heavily parallel desktop applications, such as video encoding or 3D scene compilation, where the extra cores can be fully utilized.

Conversely, the AMD Athlon Silver 10 is the winner in single-threaded and instruction-heavy workloads. Despite having only two cores, its Zen 2 architecture and higher boost clock of 3.50 GHz give it a commanding 20.6% lead in the PassMark single-thread test, scoring 2089 versus 1658. This advantage extends to encryption, extended instructions (SIMD), and prime number finding. The Silver 10 is therefore better suited for everyday responsiveness, legacy software that relies on single-core performance, and security-related tasks like disk encryption, where its 2125 score in data encryption is 46.1% higher than the X4 970's 1146.

The split is also evident in overall system positioning. The X4 970, with its 65 W TDP and desktop socket, is built for always-plugged-in performance. The Silver 10, with a 15 W TDP and integrated Radeon 610M graphics, is designed for mobile efficiency, making it the preferred part for battery-powered devices where sustained multi-core performance is less critical than power draw and portability.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent distinct eras of AMD design. The Athlon X4 970 is built on the Excavator architecture, codenamed Bristol Ridge, using a 28 nm process from GlobalFoundries. It features four cores with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 320 KB of L1 and 2 MB of L2, with no L3 cache present. The chip is a large die at 250 mm², containing 3,100 million transistors, and supports dual-channel DDR4 memory with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. It connects via PCIe Gen 3 with 8 CPU lanes and is unlocked for overclocking.

The Athlon Silver 10 is a fundamentally different part, built on the Zen 2 architecture codenamed Mendocino. It uses a 6 nm process from TSMC and features only two cores with a base clock of 2.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz. Its cache layout is per-core: 64 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, plus a shared 2 MB of L3 cache. The die size is 100 mm², and it supports dual-channel LPDDR5 memory with a much higher bandwidth of 88.0 GB/s. It also includes integrated Radeon 610M graphics, a feature absent from the X4 970, and uses a mobile socket (FT6) with only 4 PCIe Gen 3 lanes.

These architectural differences explain the benchmark results. The X4 970’s higher base clock and four cores give it an edge in parallel tasks, but its older 28 nm process and lack of L3 cache hurt its single-thread efficiency. The Silver 10’s modern 6 nm process and Zen 2 core design allow it to execute instructions more efficiently per clock, leading to its single-thread victory. The memory bandwidth difference is stark: the Silver 10’s LPDDR5 support provides 88.0 GB/s, more than double the X4 970’s 38.4 GB/s, which benefits memory-intensive workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most significant victory for the AMD Athlon X4 970 is in the PassMark integer math test. Here, the X4 970 scores 19174, which is 105% higher than the Silver 10’s 9354. This result clearly demonstrates the advantage of having four cores versus two in a pure arithmetic workload. Similarly, in data compression, the X4 970 scores 62454, a 47% improvement over the Silver 10’s 42492. These are the largest deltas in the entire comparison and highlight the X4 970’s strength in multi-threaded, integer-heavy tasks.

The X4 970 also edges out the Silver 10 in several other tests, though by smaller margins. In floating point math, the X4 970 scores 6049 versus 5936, a 1.9% lead. The multithread test shows a 2.3% advantage (3625 vs 3543). The physics test is another win for the X4 970, with a score of 243 against 210, a 15.7% difference. Random string sorting also goes to the X4 970, with 6128 points versus 4736, a 29.4% advantage. These results suggest that the X4 970 is consistently faster in general compute tasks that can utilize all four cores.

The AMD Athlon Silver 10’s wins are concentrated in single-thread and specialized instruction tests. Its most notable victory is in the single-thread test, where it scores 2089 against the X4 970’s 1658, a 20.6% lead. This performance is echoed in the data encryption test, where the Silver 10 scores 2125, a 46.1% improvement over the X4 970’s 1146. The extended instructions test (SIMD) also favors the Silver 10, with 2747 points versus 2156, a 21.5% lead. The Silver 10 even wins the prime number test, scoring 13 versus 11, a 15.4% advantage. These wins indicate that the Silver 10’s Zen 2 cores are far more efficient at executing complex, sequential instructions.

The overall average benchmark scores are nearly identical: the X4 970 has an average of 6850, while the Silver 10 has 6849. This places both processors at the 63rd percentile of all CPUs, with their nearest rivals being the Intel Core i3-1115G4 (avg score 6851) and Intel Xeon W-2195 (avg score 6892). The delta between the two Athlon parts is effectively zero, meaning that neither chip is universally faster; they are simply faster in different domains.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in single-threaded applications?

A: The AMD Athlon Silver 10 is significantly faster. It scores 2089 in the PassMark single-thread test, which is 20.6% higher than the AMD Athlon X4 970's score of 1658.

Q: Which processor has better multi-threaded performance?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 970 has a slight edge. It scores 3625 in the PassMark multithread test compared to the Silver 10's 3543, a 2.3% difference. The X4 970 also wins the integer math test by a massive 105% margin.

Q: What are the key architectural differences between the two?

A: The X4 970 uses the Excavator architecture on a 28 nm process with 4 cores, while the Silver 10 uses Zen 2 on a 6 nm process with 2 cores. The X4 970 has no L3 cache, whereas the Silver 10 has 2 MB of shared L3. The Silver 10 also has integrated graphics and supports LPDDR5 memory.

Q: Is there a significant difference in their average benchmark scores?

A: No, they are effectively tied. The X4 970 has an average benchmark score of 6850, and the Silver 10 has an average score of 6849, with a delta of 0%. Both sit at the 63rd percentile of all CPUs.

Q: Which processor is better for data compression tasks?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 970 is notably better. It scores 62454 in the data compression test, which is 47% higher than the Silver 10's score of 42492.

Q: Does the Silver 10 have any advantage in memory bandwidth?

A: Yes. The Silver 10 supports LPDDR5 dual-channel memory with a bandwidth of 88.0 GB/s, while the X4 970 supports DDR4 with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. This gives the Silver 10 a substantial theoretical memory bandwidth advantage.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the choice between these two processors comes down to workload type. For users who prioritize multi-threaded desktop performance, the AMD Athlon X4 970 is the definitive choice. Its four cores deliver a 105% advantage in integer math and a 47% advantage in data compression, making it the superior part for rendering, compiling, or any task that can utilize all four threads. The data shows that in heavy parallel compute, the X4 970 is the clear winner.

For users who prioritize single-thread responsiveness, modern instruction sets, or mobile efficiency, the AMD Athlon Silver 10 is the better option. Its 20.6% lead in single-thread performance and 46.1% lead in encryption make it more responsive for general desktop use and better for security-related tasks. Furthermore, its 15 W TDP, integrated graphics, and LPDDR5 memory support make it the only viable option for a thin-and-light mobile device.

The near-identical average scores (6850 vs 6849) are misleading; they mask a fundamental division of labor. The X4 970 is a stationary workhorse, while the Silver 10 is a mobile sprinter. There is no universal winner. The data dictates that a user building a budget desktop for multi-threaded tasks should select the X4 970, while a user seeking a mobile platform for single-threaded efficiency should select the Silver 10. The benchmark results are unambiguous: pick the part that matches your primary workload, as neither chip compensates for the other’s weaknesses.