A4-5000 vs Core i3-4012Y

A4-5000 vs Core i3-4012Y Performance Spectrum

A4-5000

4 / 4

1,284

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 3955WX

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i3-4012Y

2 / 4

1,278

0.0%

Atom D2550

Pentium T3400

Pentium Dual-Core E2200

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.

A4-5000 vs Core i3-4012Y 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.

A4-5000 vs Core i3-4012Y: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

A4-5000

2013

Why buy it

✅+0.5% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 512W, a 497W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Lower Geekbench single-core performance for gaming (158 vs 485).

Core i3-4012Y

2013

Why buy it

✅+207% 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 (1,278 vs 1,284).
❌3313.3% higher power demand at 512W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is A4-5000 better than Core i3-4012Y?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i3-4012Y is ahead with a 2.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, A4-5000 pulls ahead with 0.5% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, A4-5000 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

A4-5000 still makes the most sense overall. A4-5000 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.5% better PassMark.

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

A4-5000 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 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.

A4-5000 vs Core i3-4012Y Technical Specifications

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

A4-5000

The A4-5000 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Kabini (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Max frequency: 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FT3. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,284 points. Launch price was $50.

Core i3-4012Y

The Core i3-4012Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 1.5 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 11.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,278 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The A4-5000 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i3-4012Y offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the A4-5000 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 1.5 GHz on the A4-5000 versus 1.5 GHz on the Core i3-4012Y — identical boost frequencies. The A4-5000 uses the Kabini (2013−2014) architecture (28 nm), while the Core i3-4012Y uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the A4-5000 scores 1,284 against the Core i3-4012Y's 1,278 — a 0.5% lead for the A4-5000. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 158 vs 485, a 101.7% lead for the Core i3-4012Y that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A4-5000 vs 3 MB on the Core i3-4012Y.

Feature	A4-5000	Core i3-4012Y
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	1.5 GHz	1.5 GHz
Base Clock	—	1.5 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	3 MB
L2 Cache	2048 kB+300%	512 kB
Process	28 nm	22 nm-21%
Architecture	Kabini (2013−2014)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	1,284	1,278
Geekbench 6 Single	158	485+207%
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	988

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Memory & Platform

The A4-5000 uses the FT3 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i3-4012Y uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3L-1600 memory speed. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 1 (A4-5000) vs 2 (Core i3-4012Y). PCIe lanes: 8 (A4-5000) vs 12 (Core i3-4012Y) — the Core i3-4012Y offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	A4-5000	Core i3-4012Y
Socket	FT3	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3L-1600	DDR3L-1600 / LPDDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	16 GB
RAM Channels	1	2+100%
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	8	12+50%

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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (A4-5000) vs VT-x / EPT (Core i3-4012Y). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon HD 8330 (A4-5000) and Intel HD Graphics 4200 (Core i3-4012Y) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A4-5000 targets Entry Laptop, Core i3-4012Y targets Low Power. Direct competitor: A4-5000 rivals Pentium N3520.