FX-6100 vs Pentium Gold G5420

FX-6100 vs Pentium Gold G5420 Performance Spectrum

FX-6100

6 / 6

3,686

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Pentium Gold G5420

2 / 4

3,700

+0.4%

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.

FX-6100 vs Pentium Gold G5420 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.

FX-6100 vs Pentium Gold G5420: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

FX-6100

2011

Why buy it

✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (3,686 vs 3,700).
❌Launch MSRP is still $165 MSRP, while Pentium Gold G5420 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌75.9% higher power demand at 95W vs 54W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Pentium Gold G5420 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Pentium Gold G5420.

Pentium Gold G5420

2019

Why buy it

✅+0.4% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 54W instead of 95W, a 41W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 610, while FX-6100 needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike FX-6100.

Trade-offs

❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Pentium Gold G5420 better than FX-6100?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, FX-6100 is ahead with a 0.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Gold G5420 pulls ahead with 0.4% better PassMark. FX-6100 also has the bigger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium Gold G5420 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.4% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Pentium Gold G5420 is still the much better call for a fresh build. Pentium Gold G5420 comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $165 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.4% better PassMark. FX-6100 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2011 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (22.3 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on AM3+.

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

Pentium Gold G5420 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2011) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 6/6. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

FX-6100 vs Pentium Gold G5420 Technical Specifications

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

FX-6100

The FX-6100 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 October 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Zambezi (2011−2012) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: AM3+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,686 points. Launch price was $69.

Pentium Gold G5420

The Pentium Gold G5420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 23 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 54 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,700 points. Launch price was $64.

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Processing Power

The FX-6100 packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Pentium Gold G5420 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the FX-6100 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the FX-6100 versus 3.8 GHz on the Pentium Gold G5420 — a 2.6% clock advantage for the FX-6100 (base: 3.3 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The FX-6100 uses the Zambezi (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium Gold G5420 uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the FX-6100 scores 3,686 against the Pentium Gold G5420's 3,700 — a 0.4% lead for the Pentium Gold G5420. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the FX-6100 vs 4 MB on the Pentium Gold G5420.

Feature	FX-6100	Pentium Gold G5420
Cores / Threads	6 / 6+200%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz+3%	3.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz	3.8 GHz+15%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+100%	4 MB
L2 Cache	6 MB+1100%	512 kB
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Zambezi (2011−2012)	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)
PassMark	3,686	3,700
Geekbench 6 Single	—	764
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,515

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Memory & Platform

The FX-6100 uses the AM3+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Gold G5420 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	FX-6100	Pentium Gold G5420
Socket	AM3+	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity	—	64 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	Yes
PCIe Lanes	—	16

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (FX-6100) / VT-x / VT-d / EPT (Pentium Gold G5420). The Pentium Gold G5420 includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 610), while the FX-6100 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium Gold G5420 targets Office.