A12-9700P vs Core i5-661

A12-9700P vs Core i5-661 Performance Spectrum

A12-9700P

4 / 4

2,415

+1.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-661

2 / 4

2,387

0.0%

Pentium Dual Core T4500

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

A12-9700P vs Core i5-661 FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

A12-9700P vs Core i5-661: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

A12-9700P

2016

Why buy it

✅+1.2% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 2W instead of 87W, a 85W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R7, while Core i5-661 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i5-661

2010

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,387 vs 2,415).
❌Launch MSRP is still $196 MSRP, while A12-9700P mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌4250% higher power demand at 87W vs 2W.
❌No integrated graphics, while A12-9700P can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is A12-9700P better than Core i5-661?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i5-661 is ahead with a 2.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, A12-9700P pulls ahead with 1.2% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, A12-9700P is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.2% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

A12-9700P is still the much better call for a fresh build. A12-9700P comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $196 MSRP, and it still gives you 1.2% better PassMark. Core i5-661 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (12.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1156.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

A12-9700P makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

A12-9700P vs Core i5-661 Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

A12-9700P

The A12-9700P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,415 points. Launch price was $130.

Core i5-661

The Core i5-661 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 7 January 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.33 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 87 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,387 points. Launch price was $252.

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Processing Power

The A12-9700P packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-661 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the A12-9700P has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the A12-9700P versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i5-661 — a 5.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-661 (base: 2.5 GHz vs 3.33 GHz). The A12-9700P uses the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Core i5-661 uses Clarkdale (2010−2011) (32 nm). In PassMark, the A12-9700P scores 2,415 against the Core i5-661's 2,387 — a 1.2% lead for the A12-9700P.

Feature	A12-9700P	Core i5-661
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz	3.6 GHz+6%
Base Clock	2.5 GHz	3.33 GHz+33%
L3 Cache	—	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2048 kB+700%	256 kB (per core)
Process	28 nm-13%	32 nm
Architecture	Bristol Ridge (2016−2019)	Clarkdale (2010−2011)
PassMark	2,415+1%	2,387
Geekbench 6 Single	481	—

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Memory & Platform

The A12-9700P uses the FP4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-661 uses LGA1156 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	A12-9700P	Core i5-661
Socket	FP4	LGA1156
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-1866	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	8	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (A12-9700P) / not specified (Core i5-661). The A12-9700P includes integrated graphics (Radeon R7), while the Core i5-661 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A12-9700P targets Laptop. Direct competitor: A12-9700P rivals Core i5-6200U.