AMD A4-9120C APU with Radeon R4 Graphics Chromebooks

The AMD A4-9120C APU is an entry-level dual-core processor from AMD’s Stoney Ridge platform, announced in early 2019 for Chromebooks and budget laptops. Built on a 28nm process, this chip is based on the older A4-9120 but with a significantly reduced TDP of 6 watts (down from 15 watts) and lower clock speeds ranging from 1.6 GHz base to 2.4 GHz boost. The processor integrates two CPU cores using AMD’s Excavator architecture (one module with two integer units and one floating-point unit), along with Radeon R4 integrated graphics featuring 192 shader cores clocked at 600 MHz.

The A4-9120C represented AMD’s entry into the Chromebook market, competing directly with Intel’s Celeron N3350 and N4000 processors in the budget segment. AMD marketed this chip as offering superior performance to Intel alternatives in ChromeOS, particularly for graphics-related tasks thanks to the Radeon R4 GPU. However, the 28nm manufacturing process put it at an efficiency disadvantage compared to Intel’s 14nm Gemini Lake chips. Devices featuring this processor typically launched in the $200-$350 range, targeting students and casual users who prioritized affordability over performance.

In the Chromebook landscape, the A4-9120C carved out a niche in education devices and budget consumer models from HP, Acer, and Lenovo. Its 6-watt TDP enabled fanless, silent operation in thin and light designs. While this processor has been superseded by newer AMD options like the Athlon 3000C series, several A4-9120C Chromebooks remain in active use with Chrome OS updates continuing through 2029 depending on the specific model.

Performance

The AMD A4-9120C scores approximately 8,000 on the Octane 2.0 JavaScript benchmark, which measures Chromebook responsiveness in web applications. For context, this places it well below the Intel Celeron N4000’s score of 20,000 and roughly on par with the older Intel Celeron N3060. On PassMark’s CPU benchmark, the A4-9120C achieves a score of 885, ranking 4,519th out of 5,535 CPUs tested. Geekbench 6.5 results show single-core performance of 418 points and multi-core performance of 533 points.

What do these numbers mean in practice? The A4-9120C handles basic Chrome OS tasks adequately but shows strain earlier than Intel alternatives. Reviewers from Laptop Mag and Neowin found that HP’s Chromebook 14 with this processor began slowing down after opening 15 Google Chrome tabs with a single 1080p YouTube video. Tech Advisor’s testing of the Acer Chromebook 15 CB315 showed Speedometer scores of 24.1 and Jetstream 2 scores of 38.08, confirming the modest performance profile. Lon.TV noted that 60fps YouTube video playback sometimes dropped frames on this processor.

The Radeon R4 integrated graphics provide one advantage over Intel UHD alternatives: slightly better performance in graphical tasks. However, this rarely matters in typical Chromebook use cases. The GPU handles basic video playback and Google Docs work without issue but offers no real advantage for the web-centric ChromeOS workflow. Overall, performance is adequate for single-task computing but struggles with modern multitasking expectations.

Ideal Use Cases

Chromebooks with the AMD A4-9120C work best for users with modest computing needs: checking email, reading news, basic document editing in Google Docs, and streaming video one tab at a time. The processor handles Google Classroom assignments, simple web research, and video calls through Google Meet without major issues. For students in elementary and middle school completing basic homework, or anyone who needs a dedicated machine for web browsing, an A4-9120C Chromebook delivers functional performance at budget pricing.

The 6-watt TDP enables fanless designs that operate in complete silence, which educators and students appreciate in quiet classroom and library environments. Battery life on these devices typically reaches 9-10 hours, sufficient for a full school day without charging. Several A4-9120C Chromebooks like the HP Chromebook 11A G8 EE earned MIL-STD-810G military-grade certification for durability, making them practical for the demands of K-12 deployment.

However, the A4-9120C is not suitable for users who keep many browser tabs open simultaneously, run Android apps alongside Chrome, or need responsive performance for any task beyond basic browsing. Power users, developers, anyone using Linux through Crostini, or students in higher education with demanding workloads should avoid this processor. The performance ceiling is simply too low for modern multitasking. Users who found themselves frustrated by Chromebook slowdowns in 2019-2020 will find the situation worse today as websites and web apps have become more resource-intensive.

What to Look For

If you’re considering an AMD A4-9120C Chromebook, RAM configuration is critical. All A4-9120C Chromebooks shipped with 4GB of RAM, and the memory is soldered and non-upgradeable. This 4GB limitation compounds the processor’s modest performance, as Chrome OS begins reloading tabs aggressively once memory pressure builds. Unfortunately, no A4-9120C Chromebook offered higher RAM configurations, so you cannot work around this limitation.

Storage ranges from 32GB to 64GB eMMC across different models. The Acer Chromebook 311 CB311-10H offered 64GB, which provides more room for Android apps and offline files. HP and Acer’s other models shipped with 32GB, which fills up quickly. All models include microSD card slots for expansion, essential for managing the limited internal storage.

Display quality varies significantly across A4-9120C Chromebooks. The Lenovo 14e stands out with a 1920x1080 Full HD IPS panel, offering the best visual experience in this processor tier. HP’s Chromebook 14 models used lower-quality TN panels that reviewers universally criticized for washed-out colors and poor viewing angles. Most 11.6-inch models like the HP Chromebook 11A G8 EE use 1366x768 TN displays, which is acceptable on smaller screens but appears pixelated on larger panels. If display quality matters, the Lenovo 14e is the clear choice among A4-9120C options.

Check the Auto Update Expiration (AUE) date carefully. Most A4-9120C Chromebooks have AUE dates in 2029, providing several more years of Chrome OS security updates. However, the Acer Chromebook 311 CB311-10H expires in June 2026 and the Lenovo 14e expired in June 2025, making those models poor choices for new purchases. The HP Chromebook 11A G8 EE and HP Chromebook 14 maintain updates through June 2029.

Given the performance limitations, an A4-9120C Chromebook only makes sense at deeply discounted prices. At full MSRP, similarly-priced Chromebooks with Intel Celeron N4020 or N4500 processors deliver substantially better performance. Consider an A4-9120C model only if you find one at clearance pricing under $150, or if you already own one and want to understand its capabilities.