A12-9800 vs Pentium Gold G5420
A12-9800
Pentium Gold G5420
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. The A12-9800 is positioned at rank #345 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar A12-9800
Performance Per Dollar
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | A12-9800 | Pentium Gold G5420 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) / 28 nm) | ✨ Modern (Coffee Lake (2017−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | A12-9800 | Pentium Gold G5420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | Equivalent pricing | Equivalent pricing |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of A12-9800 and Pentium Gold G5420
A12-9800
The A12-9800 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,695 points. Launch price was $139.
Pentium Gold G5420
The Pentium Gold G5420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 54 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,700 points. Launch price was $64.
Processing Power
The A12-9800 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium Gold G5420 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the A12-9800 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the A12-9800 versus 3.8 GHz on the Pentium Gold G5420 — a 10% clock advantage for the A12-9800 (base: 3.8 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The A12-9800 uses the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Pentium Gold G5420 uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the A12-9800 scores 3,695 against the Pentium Gold G5420's 3,700 — a 0.1% lead for the Pentium Gold G5420. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 635 vs 764, a 18.4% lead for the Pentium Gold G5420 that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A12-9800 vs 4 MB on the Pentium Gold G5420.
| Feature | A12-9800 | Pentium Gold G5420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 4+100% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 4.2 GHz+11% | 3.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.8 GHz | 3.8 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 4 MB |
| L2 Cache | 2048 kB+300% | 512 kB |
| Process | 28 nm | 14 nm-50% |
| Architecture | Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) | Coffee Lake (2017−2019) |
| PassMark | 3,695 | 3,700 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 635 | 764+20% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | — | 1,515 |
Memory & Platform
The A12-9800 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium Gold G5420 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2400 memory speed. Both support up to 64 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (A12-9800) vs 16 (Pentium Gold G5420) — the Pentium Gold G5420 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B350,X370 (A12-9800) and H310,B360,B365,H370,Z370,Z390 (Pentium Gold G5420).
| Feature | A12-9800 | Pentium Gold G5420 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM4 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2400 | DDR4-2400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 64 GB | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 8 | 16+100% |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (A12-9800) vs VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Pentium Gold G5420). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon R7 (A12-9800) and Intel UHD Graphics 610 (Pentium Gold G5420) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A12-9800 targets Budget, Pentium Gold G5420 targets Office. Direct competitor: A12-9800 rivals Pentium G4600.
| Feature | A12-9800 | Pentium Gold G5420 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Radeon R7 | Intel UHD Graphics 610 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | VT-x / VT-d / EPT |
| Target Use | Budget | Office |
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