Pentium G2120 vs PRO A6-9500

Pentium G2120 vs PRO A6-9500 Performance Spectrum

Pentium G2120

2 / 2

1,876

+0.2%

1,873

0.0%

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.

Pentium G2120 vs PRO A6-9500 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 A6-9500: 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

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅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 A6-9500 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $86 MSRP, while PRO A6-9500 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.

PRO A6-9500

2016

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,873 vs 1,876).
❌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 Pentium G2120 better than PRO A6-9500?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, PRO A6-9500 is ahead with a 2.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Pentium G2120 pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Pentium G2120 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 2 threads.

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

Pentium G2120 is the better buy right now. Pentium G2120 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $86 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. The compromise is that PRO A6-9500 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 2.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (21.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible AM4 + DDR4 setup, PRO A6-9500 can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

PRO A6-9500 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2012). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Pentium G2120 vs PRO A6-9500 Technical Specifications

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

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.

PRO A6-9500

The PRO A6-9500 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 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L2 cache: 1024 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 1,873 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

Both the Pentium G2120 and PRO A6-9500 share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Pentium G2120 versus 3.8 GHz on the PRO A6-9500 — a 20.3% clock advantage for the PRO A6-9500 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Pentium G2120 uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the PRO A6-9500 uses Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium G2120 scores 1,876 against the PRO A6-9500's 1,873 — a 0.2% lead for the Pentium G2120.

Feature	Pentium G2120	PRO A6-9500
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	2 / 2
Boost Clock	3.1 GHz	3.8 GHz+23%
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)	Bristol Ridge (2016−2019)
PassMark	1,876	1,873

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Memory & Platform

The Pentium G2120 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the PRO A6-9500 uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Pentium G2120	PRO A6-9500
Socket	LGA1155	AM4
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 A6-9500). The Pentium G2120 includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics (Ivy Bridge)), while the PRO A6-9500 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium G2120 targets Desktop.