Core i3-7100U
VS
PRO A12-9800B

Core i3-7100U vs PRO A12-9800B

Intel

Core i3-7100U

2 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 2.4 GHz2016
VS
AMD

PRO A12-9800B

4 Cores4 Thrd2 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2016

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 i3-7100U is positioned at rank 752 and the PRO A12-9800B is on rank 399, so the PRO A12-9800B offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-7100U

#740
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1078%
#741
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1062%
#742
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
975%
#743
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
971%
#744
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
962%
#746
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
929%
#747
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
891%
#748
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
889%
#749
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
865%
#752
Core i3-7100U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#757
Core i7-11370H
MSRP: $426|Avg: N/A
100%
#761
Core i3-N300
MSRP: $309|Avg: $309
99%
#767
Core i7-1250U
MSRP: $426|Avg: N/A
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar PRO A12-9800B

#120
Core i7-11850HE
MSRP: $400|Avg: $75
99%
#387
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
542%
#388
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
534%
#389
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
491%
#390
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
488%
#391
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
484%
#393
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
467%
#394
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
448%
#395
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
447%
#396
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
435%
#399
PRO A12-9800B
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The PRO A12-9800B leads in gaming performance. However, the Core i3-7100U is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.6% greater multi-core processing power.
InsightCore i3-7100UPRO A12-9800B
Gaming
Lower gaming performance
Superior gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
🛑 Legacy (Kaby Lake (2016−2019) / 14 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) / 28 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

InsightCore i3-7100UPRO A12-9800B
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

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.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i3-7100U and PRO A12-9800B

Intel

Core i3-7100U

The Core i3-7100U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 August 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 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: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,721 points. Launch price was $281.

AMD

PRO A12-9800B

The PRO A12-9800B is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 June 2016 (9 years ago). 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: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP4. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,705 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

The Core i3-7100U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the PRO A12-9800B offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the PRO A12-9800B has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Core i3-7100U versus 3.6 GHz on the PRO A12-9800B — a 40% clock advantage for the PRO A12-9800B (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Core i3-7100U uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the PRO A12-9800B uses Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-7100U scores 2,721 against the PRO A12-9800B's 2,705 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i3-7100U.

FeatureCore i3-7100UPRO A12-9800B
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock
2.4 GHz
3.6 GHz+50%
Base Clock
2.4 GHz
2.7 GHz+13%
L3 Cache
3 MB
L2 Cache
512 kB
2048 kB+300%
Process
14 nm-50%
28 nm
Architecture
Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
Bristol Ridge (2016−2019)
PassMark
2,721
2,705
Geekbench 6 Single
841
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i3-7100U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the PRO A12-9800B uses FP4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureCore i3-7100UPRO A12-9800B
Socket
BGA1356
FP4
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity
32 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
12
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-7100U) / not specified (PRO A12-9800B). The Core i3-7100U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 620), while the PRO A12-9800B requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-7100U targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: Core i3-7100U rivals Ryzen 3 3200U.

FeatureCore i3-7100UPRO A12-9800B
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
HD Graphics 620
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use
Mainstream Laptop