Core i3-8145U vs PRO A12-9800

Core i3-8145U vs PRO A12-9800 Performance Spectrum

Core i3-8145U

2 / 4

3,781

+0.8%

3,751

0.0%

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 i3-8145U vs PRO A12-9800 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 i3-8145U vs PRO A12-9800: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i3-8145U

2018

Why buy it

✅+0.8% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with UHD Graphics 620, while PRO A12-9800 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than PRO A12-9800 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

PRO A12-9800

2016

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +11.0% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (3,751 vs 3,781).
❌Launch MSRP is still $110 MSRP, while Core i3-8145U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i3-8145U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-8145U better than PRO A12-9800?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, PRO A12-9800 is ahead with a 11.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-8145U pulls ahead with 0.8% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-8145U is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i3-8145U is still the better call for a fresh build. Core i3-8145U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $110 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.8% better PassMark. PRO A12-9800 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is so cheap, but its absolute performance tier is too low to be the better recommendation now. At roughly 3,751 PassMark with 4 cores and 4 threads, it only really makes sense as a bare-minimum stopgap or a very constrained existing-platform upgrade.

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

Core i3-8145U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2016) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i3-8145U vs PRO A12-9800 Technical Specifications

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

Core i3-8145U

The Core i3-8145U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 October 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,781 points. Launch price was $281.

PRO A12-9800

The PRO A12-9800 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 3 October 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,751 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Core i3-8145U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the PRO A12-9800 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the PRO A12-9800 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Core i3-8145U versus 4.2 GHz on the PRO A12-9800 — a 7.4% clock advantage for the PRO A12-9800 (base: 2.1 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i3-8145U uses the Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the PRO A12-9800 uses Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i3-8145U scores 3,781 against the PRO A12-9800's 3,751 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i3-8145U.

Feature	Core i3-8145U	PRO A12-9800
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz	4.2 GHz+8%
Base Clock	2.1 GHz	3.8 GHz+81%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	2048 kB+700%
Process	14 nm-50%	28 nm
Architecture	Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019)	Bristol Ridge (2016−2019)
PassMark	3,781	3,751

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Memory & Platform

The Core i3-8145U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the PRO A12-9800 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i3-8145U	PRO A12-9800
Socket	FCBGA1528	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-8145U) / not specified (PRO A12-9800). The Core i3-8145U includes integrated graphics (UHD Graphics 620), while the PRO A12-9800 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-8145U targets Mobile.