Pentium G870 vs A6-6420K
Pentium G870
A6-6420K
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 G870 is positioned at rank 836 and the A6-6420K is on rank 656, so the A6-6420K offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Pentium G870
Performance Per Dollar A6-6420K
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Pentium G870 | A6-6420K |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($15) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Richland (2013−2014) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Pentium G870 | A6-6420K |
|---|---|---|
| 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 G870 and A6-6420K
Pentium G870
The Pentium G870 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 June 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) 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 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1155. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 1,562 points. Launch price was $97.
A6-6420K
The A6-6420K is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2014-01-01. It is based on the Richland (2013−2014) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L2 cache: 1024 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 1,571 points. Launch price was $70.
Processing Power
Both the Pentium G870 and A6-6420K share an identical 2-core/2-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.1 GHz on the Pentium G870 versus 4.2 GHz on the A6-6420K — a 30.1% clock advantage for the A6-6420K (base: 3.1 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Pentium G870 uses the Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the A6-6420K uses Richland (2013−2014) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium G870 scores 1,562 against the A6-6420K's 1,571 — a 0.6% lead for the A6-6420K.
| Feature | Pentium G870 | A6-6420K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 2 | 2 / 2 |
| Boost Clock | 3.1 GHz | 4.2 GHz+35% |
| Base Clock | 3.1 GHz | 4 GHz+29% |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 1024 kB+300% |
| Process | 32 nm | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Sandy Bridge (2011−2013) | Richland (2013−2014) |
| PassMark | 1,562 | 1,571 |
Memory & Platform
The Pentium G870 uses the LGA1155 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the A6-6420K uses FM2 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Pentium G870 | A6-6420K |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1155 | FM2 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | 1866 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 32 |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Pentium G870) / true (A6-6420K). The A6-6420K includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 8470D), while the Pentium G870 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: A6-6420K rivals Pentium G3258.
| Feature | Pentium G870 | A6-6420K |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | Yes |
| IGPU Model | — | Radeon HD 8470D |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | true |
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