A4-3400 vs Pentium E5500

A4-3400 vs Pentium E5500 Performance Spectrum

A4-3400

2 / 2

1,066

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium E5500

2 / 2

1,064

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.

A4-3400 vs Pentium E5500 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.

A4-3400 vs Pentium E5500: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

A4-3400

2011

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon HD 6410D, while Pentium E5500 needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Pentium E5500.

Trade-offs

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

Pentium E5500

2010

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,064 vs 1,066).
❌Launch MSRP is still $75 MSRP, while A4-3400 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while A4-3400 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike A4-3400.

Quick Answers

So, is A4-3400 better than Pentium E5500?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium E5500 is ahead with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, A4-3400 pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, A4-3400 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

A4-3400 is still the much better call for a fresh build. A4-3400 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $75 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. Pentium E5500 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2010 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (14.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA775.

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

A4-3400 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2011 vs 2010) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

A4-3400 vs Pentium E5500 Technical Specifications

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

A4-3400

The A4-3400 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,066 points. Launch price was $50.

Pentium E5500

The Pentium E5500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 18 April 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Wolfdale (2008−2010) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA775. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR1, DDR2, DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,064 points. Launch price was $109.

⚡

Processing Power

Both the A4-3400 and Pentium E5500 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 2.7 GHz on the A4-3400 versus 2.8 GHz on the Pentium E5500 — a 3.6% clock advantage for the Pentium E5500 (base: 2.7 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The A4-3400 uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium E5500 uses Wolfdale (2008−2010) (45 nm). In PassMark, the A4-3400 scores 1,066 against the Pentium E5500's 1,064 — a 0.2% lead for the A4-3400. Both processors carry 0 kB of L3 cache.

Feature	A4-3400	Pentium E5500
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	2.7 GHz	2.8 GHz+4%
Base Clock	2.7 GHz	2.8 GHz+4%
L3 Cache	0 kB	0 kB
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	2 MB (total)+300%
Process	32 nm-29%	45 nm
Architecture	Llano (2011−2012)	Wolfdale (2008−2010)
PassMark	1,066	1,064
Geekbench 6 Single	349	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The A4-3400 uses the FM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium E5500 uses LGA775 (PCIe 1.1) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	A4-3400	Pentium E5500
Socket	FM1	LGA775
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0+82%	PCIe 1.1
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (A4-3400) / not specified (Pentium E5500). The A4-3400 includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 6410D), while the Pentium E5500 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A4-3400 targets Budget Desktop. Direct competitor: A4-3400 rivals Pentium G620.