Core i3-6100U vs Pro A12-8800B

Core i3-6100U vs Pro A12-8800B Performance Spectrum

Core i3-6100U

2 / 4

2,631

0.0%

2,667

+1.4%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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.

Core i3-6100U vs Pro A12-8800B 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.

Core i3-6100U vs Pro A12-8800B: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i3-6100U

2015

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (2,631 vs 2,667).
❌25500% higher power demand at 512W vs 2W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Pro A12-8800B can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Pro A12-8800B

2015

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 512W, a 510W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R7 Graphics, while Core i3-6100U needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $400 MSRP, while Core i3-6100U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

Quick Answers

So, is Pro A12-8800B better than Core i3-6100U?

Yes. Pro A12-8800B is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 2.4% average FPS lead across 44 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.4% 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, Pro A12-8800B is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 2.4% more average FPS across 44 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pro A12-8800B is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.4% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pro A12-8800B is the better buy right now. Pro A12-8800B comes in at an unclear MSRP at $400 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 2.4% average FPS lead across 44 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (6.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Pro A12-8800B makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i3-6100U vs Pro A12-8800B Technical Specifications

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

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.

Pro A12-8800B

The Pro A12-8800B is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 3 June 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Carrizo (2015−2018) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3/DDR3L-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 2,667 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Core i3-6100U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Pro A12-8800B offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Pro A12-8800B has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.3 GHz on the Core i3-6100U versus 3.4 GHz on the Pro A12-8800B — a 38.6% clock advantage for the Pro A12-8800B (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i3-6100U uses the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture (14 nm), while the Pro A12-8800B uses Carrizo (2015−2018) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-6100U scores 2,631 against the Pro A12-8800B's 2,667 — a 1.4% lead for the Pro A12-8800B.

Feature	Core i3-6100U	Pro A12-8800B
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.3 GHz	3.4 GHz+48%
Base Clock	2.3 GHz+10%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	3 MB	—
L2 Cache	512 kB	2048 kB+300%
Process	14 nm-50%	28 nm
Architecture	Skylake (2015−2016)	Carrizo (2015−2018)
PassMark	2,631	2,667+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	528
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,144

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-6100U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Pro A12-8800B uses FP4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-6100U	Pro A12-8800B
Socket	BGA1356	FP4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-2133
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	16

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i3-6100U) / AMD-V (Pro A12-8800B). The Pro A12-8800B includes integrated graphics (Radeon R7 Graphics), while the Core i3-6100U requires a dedicated GPU.