A8-5500 vs Pentium B940

A8-5500 vs Pentium B940 Performance Spectrum

A8-5500

4 / 4

2,615

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium B940

2 / 2

2,610

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.

A8-5500 vs Pentium B940 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.

A8-5500 vs Pentium B940: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

A8-5500

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon HD 7560D, while Pentium B940 needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (true), unlike Pentium B940.

Trade-offs

❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Pentium B940

2011

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than A8-5500 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,610 vs 2,615).
❌Launch MSRP is still $134 MSRP, while A8-5500 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while A8-5500 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike A8-5500.

Quick Answers

So, is A8-5500 better than Pentium B940?

Yes. A8-5500 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 4.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, A8-5500 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 4.9% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, A8-5500 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?

A8-5500 is still the much better call for a fresh build. A8-5500 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $134 MSRP, and it still gives you a 4.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium B940 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2011 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (19.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on PGA988.

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

A8-5500 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2012 vs 2011) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

A8-5500 vs Pentium B940 Technical Specifications

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

A8-5500

The A8-5500 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,615 points. Launch price was $90.

Pentium B940

The Pentium B940 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 June 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 2 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,610 points. Launch price was $134.

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Processing Power

The A8-5500 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Pentium B940 offers 2 cores / 2 threads — the A8-5500 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the A8-5500 versus 2 GHz on the Pentium B940 — a 59.6% clock advantage for the A8-5500 (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2 GHz). The A8-5500 uses the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium B940 uses Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the A8-5500 scores 2,615 against the Pentium B940's 2,610 — a 0.2% lead for the A8-5500. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A8-5500 vs 2 MB (total) on the Pentium B940.

Feature	A8-5500	Pentium B940
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 2
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz+85%	2 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+60%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	2 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	256K (per core)+25500%
Process	32 nm	32 nm
Architecture	Trinity (2012−2013)	Sandy Bridge (2011−2013)
PassMark	2,615	2,610

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Memory & Platform

The A8-5500 uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium B940 uses PGA988 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	A8-5500	Pentium B940
Socket	FM2	PGA988
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	1866	—
Max RAM Capacity	64	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (A8-5500) / not specified (Pentium B940). The A8-5500 includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 7560D), while the Pentium B940 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: A8-5500 rivals Pentium G2120.