Pentium Gold 6405U
VS
A6-3420M

Pentium Gold 6405U vs A6-3420M

Intel

Pentium Gold 6405U

2 Cores4 Thrd1 WWMax: 2.4 GHz2019
VS
AMD

A6-3420M

4 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 2.4 GHz2011

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 Gold 6405U is positioned at rank 770 and the A6-3420M is on rank 837, so the Pentium Gold 6405U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Pentium Gold 6405U

#758
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1111%
#759
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1095%
#760
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1005%
#761
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
1001%
#762
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
992%
#764
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
958%
#765
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
918%
#766
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
917%
#767
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
892%
#770
Pentium Gold 6405U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#772
Core i7-9750HF
MSRP: $395|Avg: $395
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar A6-3420M

#824
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1344%
#825
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1324%
#826
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1216%
#827
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
1210%
#828
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
1199%
#830
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
1158%
#831
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
1110%
#832
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
1109%
#833
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
1079%
#836
Celeron 887
MSRP: $86|Avg: $15
100%
#837
A6-3420M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#851
Pentium P6300
MSRP: $80|Avg: $10
96%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Pentium Gold 6405U (2019) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightPentium Gold 6405UA6-3420M
Gaming
Balanced gaming performance
Balanced gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) / 14 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Llano (2011−2012) / 32 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The A6-3420M (2011) relies on 32 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightPentium Gold 6405UA6-3420M
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 Gold 6405U and A6-3420M

Intel

Pentium Gold 6405U

The Pentium Gold 6405U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 31 October 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 2 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 1,320 points. Launch price was $161.

AMD

A6-3420M

The A6-3420M 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 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 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: 1,310 points. Launch price was $70.

Processing Power

The Pentium Gold 6405U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the A6-3420M offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the A6-3420M has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.4 GHz on the Pentium Gold 6405U versus 2.4 GHz on the A6-3420M — identical boost frequencies (base: 2.4 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The Pentium Gold 6405U uses the Comet Lake-U (2019−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the A6-3420M uses Llano (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Pentium Gold 6405U scores 1,320 against the A6-3420M's 1,310 — a 0.8% lead for the Pentium Gold 6405U. L3 cache: 2 MB on the Pentium Gold 6405U vs 0 kB on the A6-3420M.

FeaturePentium Gold 6405UA6-3420M
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock
2.4 GHz
2.4 GHz
Base Clock
2.4 GHz+60%
1.5 GHz
L3 Cache
2 MB
0 kB
L2 Cache
1 MB
1 MB (per core)
Process
14 nm-56%
32 nm
Architecture
Comet Lake-U (2019−2020)
Llano (2011−2012)
PassMark
1,320
1,310
Geekbench 6 Single
234
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Pentium Gold 6405U uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the A6-3420M uses FS1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeaturePentium Gold 6405UA6-3420M
Socket
FCBGA1528
FS1
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0+50%
PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR3-1333
Max RAM Capacity
8 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Pentium Gold 6405U) / AMD-V (A6-3420M). The A6-3420M includes integrated graphics (Radeon HD 6520G), while the Pentium Gold 6405U requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A6-3420M targets Budget Laptop. Direct competitor: A6-3420M rivals Core i3-2330M.

FeaturePentium Gold 6405UA6-3420M
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
Radeon HD 6520G
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
Target Use
Budget Laptop