A12-9720P vs Core i3-5157U

A12-9720P vs Core i3-5157U Performance Spectrum

A12-9720P

4 / 4

2,622

+1.1%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i3-5157U

2 / 4

2,593

0.0%

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.

A12-9720P vs Core i3-5157U 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.

A12-9720P vs Core i3-5157U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

A12-9720P

2016

Why buy it

✅+1.1% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 2W instead of 512W, a 510W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (529 vs 793).
❌Launch MSRP is still $200 MSRP, while Core i3-5157U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Core i3-5157U

2015

Why buy it

✅+49.9% higher Geekbench single-core performance for gaming and desktop responsiveness.
✅50% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,593 vs 2,622).
❌25500% higher power demand at 512W vs 2W.

Quick Answers

So, is A12-9720P better than Core i3-5157U?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i3-5157U 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, A12-9720P pulls ahead with 1.1% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, A12-9720P is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

A12-9720P is the better buy right now. A12-9720P comes in at an unclear MSRP at $200 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 1.1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i3-5157U is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (13.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

A12-9720P makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2015) 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.

A12-9720P vs Core i3-5157U Technical Specifications

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

A12-9720P

The A12-9720P 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 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,622 points. Launch price was $130.

Core i3-5157U

The Core i3-5157U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,593 points. Launch price was $315.

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Processing Power

The A12-9720P packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i3-5157U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the A12-9720P has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the A12-9720P versus 2.5 GHz on the Core i3-5157U — a 36.1% clock advantage for the A12-9720P (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.5 GHz). The A12-9720P uses the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Core i3-5157U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the A12-9720P scores 2,622 against the Core i3-5157U's 2,593 — a 1.1% lead for the A12-9720P. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 529 vs 793, a 39.9% lead for the Core i3-5157U that directly translates to higher frame rates.

Feature	A12-9720P	Core i3-5157U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz+44%	2.5 GHz
Base Clock	2.7 GHz+8%	2.5 GHz
L3 Cache	—	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2 MB	256K (per core)+12700%
Process	28 nm	14 nm-50%
Architecture	Bristol Ridge (2016−2019)	Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark	2,622+1%	2,593
Geekbench 6 Single	529	793+50%

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Memory & Platform

The A12-9720P uses the FP4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i3-5157U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-1866 memory speed. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (A12-9720P) vs 12 (Core i3-5157U) — the Core i3-5157U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	A12-9720P	Core i3-5157U
Socket	FP4	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-1866	LPDDR3-1866
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	8	12+50%

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (A12-9720P) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-5157U). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon R7 (A12-9720P) and Iris Graphics 6100 (Core i3-5157U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A12-9720P targets Laptop, Core i3-5157U targets Premium Laptop. Direct competitor: A12-9720P rivals Core i5-7200U; Core i3-5157U rivals A12-8800B.