CPU
GPU
Pentium G6960
A8-3520M
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 Pentium G6960 is positioned at rank 881 and the A8-3520M is on rank 806, so the A8-3520M offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G6960
Performance Per Dollar A8-3520M
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium G6960 | A8-3520M |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ✅ Superior gaming performance | ❌ Lower gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Clarkdale (2010−2011) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium G6960 | A8-3520M |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
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 Pentium G6960 and A8-3520M
Pentium G6960
The Pentium G6960 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2007-01-01. It is based on the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.93 GHz, with boost up to 0.93 GHz. L3 cache: 3072 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 73 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,433 points. Launch price was $69.
A8-3520M
The A8-3520M is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Llano (2011−2012) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 2.5 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FS1. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,441 points. Launch price was $90.
Processing Power
The Pentium G6960 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the A8-3520M offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the A8-3520M has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 0.93 GHz on the Pentium G6960 versus 2.5 GHz on the A8-3520M — a 91.5% clock advantage for the A8-3520M (base: 2.93 GHz vs 1.6 GHz). The Pentium G6960 uses the Clarkdale (2010−2011) architecture (32 nm), while the A8-3520M uses Llano (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium G6960 scores 1,433 against the A8-3520M's 1,441 — a 0.6% lead for the A8-3520M. L3 cache: 3072 kB (total) on the Pentium G6960 vs 0 kB on the A8-3520M.
| Feature | Pentium G6960 | A8-3520M |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 0.93 GHz | 2.5 GHz+169% |
| Base Clock | 2.93 GHz+83% | 1.6 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 3072 kB (total) | 0 kB |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 1 MB (per core)+300% |
| Process | 32 nm | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Clarkdale (2010−2011) | Llano (2011−2012) |
| PassMark | 1,433 | 1,441 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 255 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium G6960 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A8-3520M uses FS1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium G6960 | A8-3520M |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1156 | FS1 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-1333 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 16 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 20 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium G6960) / AMD-V (A8-3520M). The A8-3520M includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 6620G), while the Pentium G6960 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A8-3520M targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: A8-3520M rivals Core i3-2330M.
| Feature | Pentium G6960 | A8-3520M |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Radeon HD 6620G |
| Unlocked | — | No |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Budget Laptop |
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