
A6-5357M vs Pentium 997

A6-5357M

Pentium 997
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. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The A6-5357M is positioned at rank 872 and the Pentium 997 is on rank 1104, so the A6-5357M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar A6-5357M
Performance Per Dollar Pentium 997
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | A6-5357M | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Richland (2013−2014) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | A6-5357M | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($10) |
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 A6-5357M and Pentium 997

A6-5357M
The A6-5357M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Richland (2013−2014) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FP2. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,219 points. Launch price was $70.

Pentium 997
The Pentium 997 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 1.6 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 17 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,215 points. Launch price was $134.
Processing Power
Both the A6-5357M and Pentium 997 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the A6-5357M versus 1.6 GHz on the Pentium 997 — a 74.5% clock advantage for the A6-5357M (base: 2.9 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The A6-5357M uses the Richland (2013−2014) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium 997 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the A6-5357M scores 1,219 against the Pentium 997's 1,215 — a 0.3% lead for the A6-5357M. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A6-5357M vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium 997.
| Feature | A6-5357M | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.5 GHz+119% | 1.6 GHz |
| Base Clock | 2.9 GHz+81% | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 0 kB | 2 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512K (per core)+100% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Richland (2013−2014) | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) |
| PassMark | 1,219 | 1,215 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 380 | — |
Memory & Platform
The A6-5357M uses the FP2 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium 997 uses BGA1023 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | A6-5357M | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FP2 | BGA1023 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1600 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (A6-5357M) / not specified (Pentium 997). The A6-5357M includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 8450G), while the Pentium 997 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A6-5357M targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: A6-5357M rivals Core i3-3120M.
| Feature | A6-5357M | Pentium 997 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Radeon HD 8450G | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
| Target Use | Budget Laptop | — |
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