PRO A12-8870E vs Ryzen 5 3600

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.

PRO A12-8870E vs Ryzen 5 3600 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.

PRO A12-8870E vs Ryzen 5 3600: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

PRO A12-8870E

2016

Why buy it

✅Draws 35W instead of 65W, a 30W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 3600 across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,010 vs 17,685).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Ryzen 5 3600.

Ryzen 5 3600

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +202.2% higher average FPS across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike PRO A12-8870E.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $199 MSRP, while PRO A12-8870E mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌85.7% higher power demand at 65W vs 35W.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 3600 better than PRO A12-8870E?

Yes. Ryzen 5 3600 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 202.2% average FPS lead across 44 shared CPU game tests in our data, 487.5% 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, Ryzen 5 3600 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 202.2% more average FPS across 44 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 5 3600 is the stronger fit. You are getting 487.5% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads.

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

Ryzen 5 3600 is the better buy right now. Ryzen 5 3600 comes in at an unclear MSRP at $199 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 202.2% average FPS lead across 44 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (88.9 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 5 3600 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2016) and more multi-core headroom with 6 cores / 12 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

PRO A12-8870E vs Ryzen 5 3600 Technical Specifications

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

PRO A12-8870E

The PRO A12-8870E is manufactured by AMD. It was released in Outubro 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Carrizo (2015−2018) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,010 points. Launch price was $69.

Ryzen 5 3600

The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.

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Processing Power

The PRO A12-8870E packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 3600 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the PRO A12-8870E versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 — a 10% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600 (base: 2.9 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The PRO A12-8870E uses the Carrizo (2015−2018) architecture (28 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the PRO A12-8870E scores 3,010 against the Ryzen 5 3600's 17,685 — a 141.8% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600.

Feature	PRO A12-8870E	Ryzen 5 3600
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	6 / 12+50%
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz	4.2 GHz+11%
Base Clock	2.9 GHz	3.6 GHz+24%
L3 Cache	—	32 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2048 kB+300%	512K (per core)
Process	28 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-75%
Architecture	Carrizo (2015−2018)	Matisse (2019−2020)
PassMark	3,010	17,685+488%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	9,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	1,295
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,898

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the AM4 socket with PCIe 3.0.

Feature	PRO A12-8870E	Ryzen 5 3600
Socket	AM4	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	—	128 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	24

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (PRO A12-8870E) / Yes (Ryzen 5 3600). Primary use case: Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.