A8-5500B vs Core i5-3330S

CPU

GPU

A8-5500B

4 Cores4 Thrd65 WWMax: 3.7 GHz2012

Popular choices:

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Core i5-3330S

4 Cores4 Thrd77 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2012

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

A8-5500B

4 / 4

3,967

+1.3%

Athlon II X4 630

Athlon X4 740

Athlon X4 830

Ryzen Embedded V1202B

Ryzen 7 6800H

Ryzen 7 8840HX

Ryzen 9 9955HX3D

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-3330S

4 / 4

3,915

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

A8-5500B

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.7% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 77W, a 12W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon HD 7560D, while Core i5-3330S needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (true), unlike Core i5-3330S.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Core i5-3330S

2012

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than A8-5500B across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,915 vs 3,967).
❌Launch MSRP is still $231 MSRP, while A8-5500B mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.5% higher power demand at 77W vs 65W.
❌No integrated graphics, while A8-5500B can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

A8-5500B

2012

Core i5-3330S

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.7% higher average FPS across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 65W instead of 77W, a 12W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon HD 7560D, while Core i5-3330S needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (true), unlike Core i5-3330S.

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than A8-5500B across 5 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,915 vs 3,967).
❌Launch MSRP is still $231 MSRP, while A8-5500B mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌18.5% higher power demand at 77W vs 65W.
❌No integrated graphics, while A8-5500B can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is A8-5500B better than Core i5-3330S?

Yes. A8-5500B is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 4.7% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.3% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, A8-5500B is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 4.7% more average FPS across 5 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, A8-5500B is the better fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

A8-5500B is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. A8-5500B is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $231 MSRP, and it gives you a 4.7% average FPS lead across 5 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i5-3330S only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2012 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (16.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1155.

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

A8-5500B is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

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.

A8-5500B Benchmark Check

Core i5-3330S Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	A8-5500B	Core i5-3330S
1080p
low	99 FPS	98 FPS
medium	99 FPS	98 FPS
high	99 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	89 FPS	78 FPS
1440p
low	99 FPS	98 FPS
medium	99 FPS	98 FPS
high	91 FPS	85 FPS
ultra	73 FPS	66 FPS
4K
low	63 FPS	65 FPS
medium	56 FPS	55 FPS
high	44 FPS	43 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	34 FPS

Open A8-5500B Open Core i5-3330S

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	A8-5500B	Core i5-3330S
1080p
low	99 FPS	98 FPS
medium	99 FPS	98 FPS
high	99 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	99 FPS	98 FPS
medium	99 FPS	98 FPS
high	99 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	87 FPS
4K
low	99 FPS	98 FPS
medium	99 FPS	98 FPS
high	91 FPS	76 FPS
ultra	67 FPS	55 FPS

Open A8-5500B Open Core i5-3330S

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	A8-5500B	Core i5-3330S
1080p
low	99 FPS	98 FPS
medium	99 FPS	98 FPS
high	99 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	99 FPS	98 FPS
medium	99 FPS	98 FPS
high	99 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	98 FPS
4K
low	99 FPS	98 FPS
medium	99 FPS	98 FPS
high	99 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	98 FPS

Open A8-5500B Open Core i5-3330S

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	A8-5500B	Core i5-3330S
1080p
low	99 FPS	98 FPS
medium	99 FPS	98 FPS
high	99 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	99 FPS	98 FPS
medium	99 FPS	98 FPS
high	99 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	98 FPS
4K
low	99 FPS	98 FPS
medium	99 FPS	98 FPS
high	99 FPS	98 FPS
ultra	99 FPS	98 FPS

Open A8-5500B Open Core i5-3330S

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of A8-5500B and Core i5-3330S

A8-5500B

The A8-5500B 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: 3,967 points. Launch price was $90.

Core i5-3330S

The Core i5-3330S is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,915 points. Launch price was $231.

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Processing Power

Both the A8-5500B and Core i5-3330S share an identical 4-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the A8-5500B versus 3.2 GHz on the Core i5-3330S — a 14.5% clock advantage for the A8-5500B (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The A8-5500B uses the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i5-3330S uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the A8-5500B scores 3,967 against the Core i5-3330S's 3,915 — a 1.3% lead for the A8-5500B. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A8-5500B vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i5-3330S.

Feature	A8-5500B	Core i5-3330S
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz+16%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+19%	2.7 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	6 MB (total)
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)+300%	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Trinity (2012−2013)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	3,967+1%	3,915

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Memory & Platform

The A8-5500B uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-3330S uses LGA1155 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	A8-5500B	Core i5-3330S
Socket	FM2	LGA1155
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	1866	—
Max RAM Capacity	64	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (A8-5500B) / not specified (Core i5-3330S). The A8-5500B includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 7560D), while the Core i5-3330S requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: A8-5500B rivals Pentium G2120.