A8-3870K vs Pentium Gold 5405U

A8-3870K

4 Cores4 Thrd100 WWMax: 3 GHz2011

Pentium Gold 5405U

2 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 2.3 GHz2019

Performance Spectrum - CPU

A8-3870K

4 / 4

2,360

+0.1%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium Gold 5405U

2 / 4

2,357

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.

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 A8-3870K is positioned at rank 502 and the Pentium Gold 5405U is on rank 476, so the Pentium Gold 5405U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.•
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar A8-3870K

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

7926%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

7489%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

5438%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

1638%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

1298%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

1135%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

650%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

642%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

584%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

584%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

578%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

562%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

554%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

552%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

547%

#256

Ryzen 7 1700X

MSRP: $399|Avg: $60

100%

#371

Core 5 120UL

MSRP: $277|Avg: $270

99%

#372

Ryzen Embedded V3C14

MSRP: $305|Avg: $305

99%

#373

Core i7-9700T

MSRP: $323|Avg: $276

98%

#502

A8-3870K

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#505

Athlon II X4 651

MSRP: $92|Avg: $92

99%

#511

Athlon X4 880K

MSRP: $95|Avg: $25

98%

#515

Athlon X4 870K

MSRP: $90|Avg: $35

97%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 5405U

#464

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

622%

#465

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

613%

#466

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

563%

#467

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

560%

#468

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

555%

#470

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

536%

#471

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

514%

#472

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

513%

#473

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

500%

#476

Pentium Gold 5405U

MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A

100%

#488

Processor U300

MSRP: $193|Avg: $180

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Pentium Gold 5405U (2019) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR3, DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.

Insight	A8-3870K	Pentium Gold 5405U
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm)	✨ Modern (Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The A8-3870K (2011) relies on 32 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.

Insight	A8-3870K	Pentium Gold 5405U
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost	Equivalent pricing	Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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.

A8-3870K Benchmark Check

Pentium Gold 5405U Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of A8-3870K and Pentium Gold 5405U

A8-3870K

The A8-3870K is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 100 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,360 points. Launch price was $90.

Pentium Gold 5405U

The Pentium Gold 5405U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 January 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,357 points. Launch price was $161.

⚡

Processing Power

The A8-3870K packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium Gold 5405U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the A8-3870K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3 GHz on the A8-3870K versus 2.3 GHz on the Pentium Gold 5405U — a 26.4% clock advantage for the A8-3870K (base: 3 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The A8-3870K uses the Llano (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium Gold 5405U uses Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the A8-3870K scores 2,360 against the Pentium Gold 5405U's 2,357 — a 0.1% lead for the A8-3870K. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A8-3870K vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium Gold 5405U.

Feature	A8-3870K	Pentium Gold 5405U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3 GHz+30%	2.3 GHz
Base Clock	3 GHz+30%	2.3 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+300%	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Llano (2011−2012)	Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019)
PassMark	2,360	2,357
Geekbench 6 Single	380	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The A8-3870K uses the FM1 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Gold 5405U uses FCBGA1528 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	A8-3870K	Pentium Gold 5405U
Socket	FM1	FCBGA1528
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1866	—
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	20	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (A8-3870K) / not specified (Pentium Gold 5405U). The A8-3870K includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 6550D), while the Pentium Gold 5405U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A8-3870K targets Budget Gaming Desktop. Direct competitor: A8-3870K rivals Core i3-2125.