AMD Athlon X4 950

The AMD Athlon X4 950 is a desktop processor with 4 cores and 4 threads. It is built on the Excavator architecture in the Bristol Ridge generation, using a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The die contains 3,100 million transistors and measures 250 mm². It installs in AMD Socket AM4, and its memory support is DDR4 over a dual-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth. In aggregate benchmark data it records an average score of 1047, which places it at the 28th percentile among all CPUs. The production status is listed as Active, and the release date is 2017-07-26.

Platform and Compatibility

The platform is anchored by AMD Socket AM4. The part is marked for the Desktop market segment and carries the part number AD950XAGM44AB. The architecture is Excavator in the Bristol Ridge generation, and the processor is fabricated on a 28 nm process by GlobalFoundries. The physical package uses 3,100 million transistors on a 250 mm² die. Cache is divided into 320 KB of L1 and 2 MB of L2; no L3 cache is listed. Memory support is DDR4 with a dual-channel bus and a listed memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. ECC memory is not supported. The PCIe interface is Gen 3 with 8 lanes available from the CPU only, meaning direct expansion is limited to those CPU-controlled lanes. The release date is 2017-07-26, and the production status is Active.

The upgrade path is determined by the AM4 socket. Because this is a socketed desktop processor, the compatibility boundary is whatever motherboard uses the AM4 socket. The CPU-only PCIe lane count of 8 is a limiting factor for multi-device expansion setups. The lack of ECC support also narrows memory choices to non-ECC DDR4 modules. The presence of DDR4 and dual-channel memory defines the memory platform: two channels, 38.4 GB/s of aggregate bandwidth, and no ECC option. In terms of platform positioning, the 28 nm process and 250 mm² die size are the underlying physical characteristics of this Bristol Ridge part.

Single-Thread vs Multi-Thread Behavior

Single-thread performance appears in the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 429 and the Cinebench R20 single-core score of 180. Multi-thread performance appears in the Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 3041, the Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 1277, and the Cinebench R15 multi-core score of 306. The core count and thread count are both 4, so the processor has no additional logical threads beyond its physical cores. In Cinebench R23, the single-core result of 429 and multi-core result of 3041 show how much additional performance appears when all four cores are engaged. In Cinebench R20, the single-core result of 180 and multi-core result of 1277 provide a second render-load view of the same split.

The single-thread scores are useful for workloads that depend on one core, such as older game engines or lightly threaded productivity actions. The multi-thread scores are useful for tasks that can use all four cores simultaneously. Because the thread count is equal to the core count, there is no SMT-style overlap; every active thread maps to a dedicated core. The base clock of 3.50 GHz and boost clock of 3.80 GHz are the relevant clock references for these tests. The data indicates that multi-thread applications gain meaningfully from the 4-thread design, but the ceiling of 4 threads means workloads that scale beyond four threads will not gain further from this processor.

Power and Thermals

The listed TDP is 65 W. That TDP class implies a mainstream cooling solution rather than an extreme one. The 28 nm process, 250 mm² die, and 3,100 million transistors are the physical variables behind that thermal envelope. There is no integrated graphics listed, so the thermal load does not include an on-die GPU. The Desktop market segment and Active production status indicate that this is a current desktop processor expected to operate in a standard AM4 motherboard. The memory interface is dual-channel DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth, which fits a mainstream power profile. The 65 W TDP is the single most direct power metric; it places the part well below high-power desktop processors while still requiring a dedicated CPU cooler of the appropriate class. Because ECC memory is not supported, the memory subsystem does not carry the additional power overhead associated with ECC buffering.

How It Compares

The Athlon X4 950 has an average benchmark score of 1047. Its four nearest rivals all sit within 0.1% of that number, making this a tightly grouped comparison set.

The AMD PRO A10-8770 has an average score of 1046. The Athlon X4 950 is 0.1% higher, so the aggregate benchmark position is effectively identical to that rival.

The Intel Core i5-10210Y has an average score of 1048. The Athlon X4 950 is 0.1% lower, placing it in a statistical tie with this rival as well.

The Intel Core i3-4170 also has an average score of 1048. The Athlon X4 950 is 0.1% below that score, matching the same narrow comparison band.

The Intel Core i5-6350HQ has an average score of 1046. The Athlon X4 950 is 0.1% above it, mirroring the comparison to the other 1046-score rival. Across all four rivals, the data shows a cluster of processors separated by no more than 0.1% in average benchmark terms.

Who Should Consider It

Benchmark results indicate the Athlon X4 950 is suited to workloads that fit within 4 threads. In gaming, the Cinebench R23 single-core score of 429 is the main reference; a processor at the 28th percentile of all CPUs is likely to be a limiting factor for games with demanding single-thread logic. In creation, the R23 multi-core score of 3041 and R20 multi-core score of 1277 show an ability to complete shorter render tasks, but the 4-thread ceiling means heavily parallel workloads will exhaust the available threads quickly. For office work, the dual-channel DDR4 memory bus with 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth and 4 threads provide a basic productivity baseline. The processor has no integrated graphics, so a separate graphics solution is necessary for display output. The CPU-only PCIe Gen 3 lane count of 8 means expansion cards that rely on those lanes should be planned accordingly. Users on the AM4 socket who need a 65 W desktop processor with Active production status are the core audience.

FAQ

Q: What socket does the AMD Athlon X4 950 use?

A: It uses AMD Socket AM4.

Q: Does it support ECC memory?

A: No, ECC memory support is listed as false.

Q: What is the TDP?

A: The TDP is 65 W.

Q: What are its Cinebench R23 scores?

A: The R23 single-core score is 429, and the multi-core score is 3041.

Q: Does it include integrated graphics?

A: No integrated graphics is listed.

Q: What is the release date?

A: The release date is 2017-07-26.