Chipversus Index
Jump to Section

A9-9420 vs Ryzen 7 5700X

CPUCPUGPUGPU
AMD

A9-9420

2 Cores2 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2016
Buy on Amazon
VS
AMD

Ryzen 7 5700X

8 Cores16 Thrd65 WWMax: 4.6 GHz2022
Buy on Amazon

A9-9420 vs Ryzen 7 5700X Performance Spectrum

A9-9420
2 / 2
1,538
0.0%
brand logoAthlon 64 X2 TK-42
brand logoAthlon 64 X2 3600+
brand logoAthlon II Neo K345
brand logoAthlon II X2 280
brand logoRyzen 5 7640U
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 5945WX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper 3990X
Ryzen 7 5700X
8 / 16
26,609
+1630.1%
brand logoRyzen 7 PRO 4750U
brand logoRyzen 5 7535HS
brand logoRyzen 7 5800H
brand logoRyzen 7 7735H
brand logoRyzen AI Max PRO 390
brand logoRyzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX
brand logoRyzen Threadripper 3990X
brand logoRyzen Threadripper 9960X

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.

A9-9420 vs Ryzen 7 5700X 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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

1080P
A9-9420
low38 FPS
medium38 FPS
high38 FPS
ultra38 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low156 FPS
medium129 FPS
high115 FPS
ultra94 FPS
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

1080P
A9-9420
low38 FPS
medium38 FPS
high38 FPS
ultra38 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low649 FPS
medium549 FPS
high448 FPS
ultra404 FPS
League of Legends

League of Legends

1080P
A9-9420
low38 FPS
medium38 FPS
high38 FPS
ultra38 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low665 FPS
medium557 FPS
high509 FPS
ultra439 FPS
Valorant

Valorant

1080P
A9-9420
low38 FPS
medium38 FPS
high38 FPS
ultra38 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low665 FPS
medium665 FPS
high665 FPS
ultra665 FPS
Among Us

Among Us

1080P
A9-9420
low38 FPS
medium38 FPS
high38 FPS
ultra38 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low60 FPS
medium60 FPS
high60 FPS
ultra60 FPS
Apex Legends

Apex Legends

1080P
A9-9420
low38 FPS
medium38 FPS
high38 FPS
ultra38 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low300 FPS
medium300 FPS
high300 FPS
ultra300 FPS
ARC Raiders

ARC Raiders

1080P
A9-9420
low38 FPS
medium38 FPS
high38 FPS
ultra38 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low289 FPS
medium219 FPS
high191 FPS
ultra172 FPS
Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3

1080P
A9-9420
low38 FPS
medium38 FPS
high38 FPS
ultra38 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low278 FPS
medium245 FPS
high191 FPS
ultra155 FPS
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

Call of Duty: Black Ops 6

1080P
A9-9420
low38 FPS
medium38 FPS
high38 FPS
ultra38 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low351 FPS
medium300 FPS
high259 FPS
ultra221 FPS
Call of Duty: Warzone

Call of Duty: Warzone

1080P
A9-9420
low38 FPS
medium38 FPS
high38 FPS
ultra38 FPS
1080P
Ryzen 7 5700X
low238 FPS
medium218 FPS
high185 FPS
ultra172 FPS
Check FPS with Custom Builds

A9-9420 vs Ryzen 7 5700X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

A9-9420

2016

Why buy it

  • ✅Costs $149 less on MSRP ($150 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).
  • ✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
  • ✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R5, while Ryzen 7 5700X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 5700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (950 vs 9,715).
  • ❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 10.3 vs 89.0 PassMark/$ ($150 MSRP vs $299 MSRP).

Ryzen 7 5700X

2022

Why buy it

  • ✅Better for gaming: +546.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ✅Delivers 767.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 89.0 vs 10.3 PassMark/$ ($299 MSRP vs $150 MSRP).
  • ✅200% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • ❌
    99.3% HIGHER MSRP
    $299 MSRPvs$150 MSRP
  • ❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
  • ❌No integrated graphics, while A9-9420 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 5700X better than A9-9420?
Yes. Ryzen 7 5700X is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 546.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 922.6% better Geekbench multi-core, 1630.1% higher 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, Ryzen 7 5700X is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 546.7% 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, Ryzen 7 5700X is the stronger fit. You are getting 922.6% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Ryzen 7 5700X is the better buy right now. Ryzen 7 5700X comes in 99.3% more expensive on MSRP at $299 MSRP versus $150 MSRP, and it still gives you a 546.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 767.9% better value on MSRP (89.0 vs 10.3 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Ryzen 7 5700X makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2016) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

A9-9420 vs Ryzen 7 5700X Technical Specifications

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

AMD

A9-9420

The A9-9420 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 31 May 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (total). Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FT4. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,538 points. Launch price was $69.

AMD

Ryzen 7 5700X

The Ryzen 7 5700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 26,609 points. Launch price was $299.

⚡

Processing Power

The A9-9420 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5700X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 5700X has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the A9-9420 versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5700X — a 24.4% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 5700X (base: 3 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The A9-9420 uses the Stoney Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5700X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm). In PassMark, the A9-9420 scores 1,538 against the Ryzen 7 5700X's 26,609 — a 178.1% lead for the Ryzen 7 5700X. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 497 vs 2,116, a 123.9% lead for the Ryzen 7 5700X that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 950 vs 9,715 (164.4% advantage for the Ryzen 7 5700X). L3 cache: 0 kB on the A9-9420 vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 5700X.

FeatureA9-9420Ryzen 7 5700X
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
8 / 16+300%
Boost Clock
3.6 GHz
4.6 GHz+28%
Base Clock
3 GHz
3.4 GHz+13%
L3 Cache
0 kB
32 MB (total)
L2 Cache
1 MB (total)
512K (per core)+51100%
Process
28 nm
7 nm-75%
Architecture
Stoney Ridge (2016−2019)
Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark
1,538
26,609+1630%
Cinebench R23 Multi
—
14,000
Geekbench 6 Single
497
2,116+326%
Geekbench 6 Multi
950
9,715+923%
🧠

Memory & Platform

The A9-9420 uses the FT4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 5700X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2133 on the A9-9420 versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 5700X — the Ryzen 7 5700X supports 50% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 5700X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 8 GB — 1500% more capacity for professional workloads. Memory channels: 1 (A9-9420) vs 2 (Ryzen 7 5700X). PCIe lanes: 8 (A9-9420) vs 24 (Ryzen 7 5700X) — the Ryzen 7 5700X offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: SoC (A9-9420) and A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 7 5700X).

FeatureA9-9420Ryzen 7 5700X
Socket
FT4
AM4
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2133
DDR4-3200+50%
Max RAM Capacity
8 GB
128 GB+1500%
RAM Channels
1
2+100%
ECC Support
No
Yes
PCIe Lanes
8
24+200%
🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Ryzen 7 5700X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support AMD-V virtualization. The A9-9420 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R5), while the Ryzen 7 5700X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A9-9420 targets Budget Laptop, Ryzen 7 5700X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: A9-9420 rivals Pentium N4200; Ryzen 7 5700X rivals Core i7-11700K.

FeatureA9-9420Ryzen 7 5700X
Integrated GPU
Yes
No
IGPU Model
Radeon R5
—
Unlocked
No
Yes
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
AMD-V
Target Use
Budget Laptop
Gaming
💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the A9-9420 was priced at $150, while the Ryzen 7 5700X came in at $299. On launch pricing ($150 vs $299), A9-9420 was $149 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the A9-9420 delivers 10.3 pts/$ vs 89.0 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 5700X — making the Ryzen 7 5700X the 158.7% better value option.

FeatureA9-9420Ryzen 7 5700X
MSRP
$150-50%
$299
Performance per Dollar
10.3
89.0+764%
Release Date
2016
2022
Search A9-9420 on AmazonSearch Ryzen 7 5700X on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.