Pentium G2120 vs PRO A6-8550B

Intel

Pentium G2120

2 Cores2 Thrd55 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2012
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

PRO A6-8550B

2 Cores2 Thrd65 WWMax: 4 GHz2015
Similar parts
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Pentium G2120 vs PRO A6-8550B Performance Spectrum

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.

Pentium G2120 vs PRO A6-8550B 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.

Pentium G2120 vs PRO A6-8550B: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Pentium G2120

2012

Why buy it

  • Draws 55W instead of 65W, a 10W reduction.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge), while PRO A6-8550B needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than PRO A6-8550B across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • Lower PassMark (1,876 vs 1,882).
  • Launch MSRP is still $86 MSRP, while PRO A6-8550B mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

PRO A6-8550B

2015

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +3.4% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

  • 18.2% higher power demand at 65W vs 55W.
  • No integrated graphics, while Pentium G2120 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is PRO A6-8550B better than Pentium G2120?
Yes. PRO A6-8550B is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 3.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 0.3% 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 A6-8550B is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 3.4% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, PRO A6-8550B is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
PRO A6-8550B is still the much better call for a fresh build. PRO A6-8550B comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $86 MSRP, and it still gives you a 3.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Pentium G2120 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2012 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (21.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1155.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
PRO A6-8550B makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2012) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 2 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Pentium G2120 vs PRO A6-8550B Technical Specifications

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

Intel

Pentium G2120

The Pentium G2120 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 September 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 55 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,876 points. Launch price was $88.

AMD

PRO A6-8550B

The PRO A6-8550B is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 29 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Godaveri (2014−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L2 cache: 1024 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 1,882 points. Launch price was $69.

Processing Power

Both the Pentium G2120 and PRO A6-8550B share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Pentium G2120 versus 4 GHz on the PRO A6-8550B — a 25.4% clock advantage for the PRO A6-8550B (base: 3.1 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Pentium G2120 uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the PRO A6-8550B uses Godaveri (2014−2016) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium G2120 scores 1,876 against the PRO A6-8550B's 1,882 — a 0.3% lead for the PRO A6-8550B.

FeaturePentium G2120PRO A6-8550B
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 2
Boost Clock
3.1 GHz
4 GHz+29%
Base Clock
3.1 GHz
3.5 GHz+13%
L3 Cache
3 MB (total)
L2 Cache
256 kB (per core)
1024 kB+300%
Process
22 nm-21%
28 nm
Architecture
Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
Godaveri (2014−2016)
PassMark
1,876
1,882
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Memory & Platform

The Pentium G2120 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the PRO A6-8550B uses FM2+ (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeaturePentium G2120PRO A6-8550B
Socket
LGA1155
FM2+
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity
32 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
Yes
PCIe Lanes
16
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Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x (Pentium G2120) / not specified (PRO A6-8550B). The Pentium G2120 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)), while the PRO A6-8550B requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium G2120 targets Desktop.

FeaturePentium G2120PRO A6-8550B
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x
Target Use
Desktop