A6 Micro-6500T vs Pentium N3520

AMD

A6 Micro-6500T

4 Cores4 Thrd5 WWMax: 1.8 GHz2014
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Pentium N3520

4 Cores4 Thrd2 WWMax: 2.42 GHz2013
Similar parts
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A6 Micro-6500T vs Pentium N3520 Performance Spectrum

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.

A6 Micro-6500T vs Pentium N3520 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.

A6 Micro-6500T vs Pentium N3520: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

A6 Micro-6500T

2014

Why buy it

  • +0.2% higher PassMark.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon R4, while Pentium N3520 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • 150% higher power demand at 5W vs 2W.

Pentium N3520

2013

Why buy it

  • Draws 2W instead of 5W, a 3W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (1,144 vs 1,146).
  • No integrated graphics, while A6 Micro-6500T can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is A6 Micro-6500T better than Pentium N3520?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Pentium N3520 is ahead with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 34 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, A6 Micro-6500T 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, A6 Micro-6500T is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
A6 Micro-6500T is the better buy right now. A6 Micro-6500T comes in in basically the same MSRP band at $100 MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. The compromise is that Pentium N3520 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 0.1% average FPS lead across 34 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 0.2% better value on MSRP (11.5 vs 11.4 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
A6 Micro-6500T makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2013) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

A6 Micro-6500T vs Pentium N3520 Technical Specifications

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

AMD

A6 Micro-6500T

The A6 Micro-6500T is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 April 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Mullins (2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.2 GHz, with boost up to 1.8 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB (total). Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FT3. Thermal design power (TDP): 5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,146 points. Launch price was $69.

Intel

Pentium N3520

The Pentium N3520 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 December 2013 (12 years ago). It is based on the Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.17 GHz, with boost up to 2.42 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1170. Thermal design power (TDP): 7.5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1333. Passmark benchmark score: 1,144 points. Launch price was $161.

Processing Power

Both the A6 Micro-6500T and Pentium N3520 share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 1.8 GHz on the A6 Micro-6500T versus 2.42 GHz on the Pentium N3520 — a 29.4% clock advantage for the Pentium N3520 (base: 1.2 GHz vs 2.17 GHz). The A6 Micro-6500T uses the Mullins (2014) architecture (28 nm), while the Pentium N3520 uses Bay Trail-M (2013−2014) (22 nm). In PassMark, the A6 Micro-6500T scores 1,146 against the Pentium N3520's 1,144 — a 0.2% lead for the A6 Micro-6500T.

FeatureA6 Micro-6500TPentium N3520
Cores / Threads
4 / 4
4 / 4
Boost Clock
1.8 GHz
2.42 GHz+34%
Base Clock
1.2 GHz
2.17 GHz+81%
L3 Cache
2 MB
L2 Cache
2 MB (total)
2 MB
Process
28 nm
22 nm-21%
Architecture
Mullins (2014)
Bay Trail-M (2013−2014)
PassMark
1,146
1,144
🧠

Memory & Platform

The A6 Micro-6500T uses the FT3 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pentium N3520 uses FCBGA1170 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureA6 Micro-6500TPentium N3520
Socket
FT3
FCBGA1170
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0+50%
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity
16 GB
RAM Channels
1
ECC Support
No
PCIe Lanes
8
🔧

Advanced Features

The A6 Micro-6500T includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon R4), while the Pentium N3520 requires a dedicated GPU.

FeatureA6 Micro-6500TPentium N3520
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
AMD Radeon R4
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the A6 Micro-6500T was priced at $100, while the Pentium N3520 came in at $100. On launch pricing ($100 vs $100), Pentium N3520 was $0 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the A6 Micro-6500T delivers 11.5 pts/$ vs 11.4 pts/$ for the Pentium N3520 — making the A6 Micro-6500T the 0.2% better value option.

FeatureA6 Micro-6500TPentium N3520
MSRP
$100
$100
Performance per Dollar
11.5
11.4
Release Date
2014
2013

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