CPU
GPU
Core i3-6100U
A12-9720P
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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 Core i3-6100U is positioned at rank 772 and the A12-9720P is on rank 1016, so the Core i3-6100U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-6100U
Performance Per Dollar A12-9720P
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i3-6100U | A12-9720P |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i3-6100U | A12-9720P |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) |
Performance Check
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.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-6100U and A12-9720P
Core i3-6100U
The Core i3-6100U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 2.3 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,631 points. Launch price was $281.
A12-9720P
The A12-9720P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,622 points. Launch price was $130.
Processing Power
The Core i3-6100U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the A12-9720P offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the A12-9720P has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Core i3-6100U versus 3.6 GHz on the A12-9720P — a 44.1% clock advantage for the A12-9720P (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Core i3-6100U uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the A12-9720P uses Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-6100U scores 2,631 against the A12-9720P's 2,622 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i3-6100U.
| Feature | Core i3-6100U | A12-9720P |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 2.3 GHz | 3.6 GHz+57% |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz | 2.7 GHz+17% |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB | — |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 2 MB+300% |
| Process | 14 nm-50% | 28 nm |
| Architecture | Skylake (2015−2016) | Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) |
| PassMark | 2,631 | 2,622 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 529 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i3-6100U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the A12-9720P uses FP4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i3-6100U | A12-9720P |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1356 | FP4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR4-1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 8 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core i3-6100U) / AMD-V (A12-9720P). The A12-9720P includes integrated graphics (Radeon R7), while the Core i3-6100U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A12-9720P targets Laptop. Direct competitor: A12-9720P rivals Core i5-7200U.
| Feature | Core i3-6100U | A12-9720P |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Radeon R7 |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Laptop |
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