AMD A10-6800K vs AMD A10 PRO-7850B Comparison

The AMD A10 PRO-7850B and AMD A10-6800K represent two consecutive generations of AMD's desktop APU strategy, and the recorded data shows a split decision between them. The newer Kaveri-based 7850B wins the multi-core benchmark by a modest margin, while the older Richland-based 6800K still holds a single-core edge despite running on an older process node. Both sit at the 22nd percentile against the full CPU database, which places them firmly in entry-level territory by modern standards. Both are end-of-life parts, so this comparison matters mainly for anyone deciding between existing hardware or evaluating legacy platform builds.

FAQ

Q: Which chip is faster overall?

A: The database gives a near-even split. The A10 PRO-7850B scores 1194 in Geekbench multi-core versus 1140 for the A10-6800K, a 4.7 percent advantage. The 6800K answers with 478 in single-core against 462, a 3.3 percent win. Average benchmark scores are 828 for the 7850B and 809 for the 6800K, so the aggregate picture slightly favors the newer part.

Q: Do these CPUs fit the same motherboard?

A: No. The A10 PRO-7850B uses AMD Socket FM2+, while the A10-6800K uses AMD Socket FM2. They are not interchangeable, so a platform choice here is a commitment.

Q: Which one has better integrated graphics?

A: The 7850B ships with Radeon R7 graphics and the 6800K with a Radeon HD 8670D. The recorded data does not include graphics benchmark scores, so no direct performance claim can be made, but the R7 block in Kaveri is the newer of the two designs.

Q: Can either chip be overclocked?

A: Only the A10-6800K, which has an unlocked multiplier. The A10 PRO-7850B is multiplier-locked, consistent with its business-oriented PRO branding.

Q: How do they compare against the wider CPU field?

A: Both land at the 22nd percentile versus all CPUs in the database. Neither is competitive with modern parts; they are relevant only in legacy or low-duty contexts.

Q: When did each launch, and are they still available?

A: The A10-6800K launched on May 31, 2013 with a launch MSRP of $142. The A10 PRO-7850B followed on July 30, 2014. Both are end-of-life. No launch MSRP is recorded for the 7850B.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two is a full generation. The A10-6800K is a Richland part built on the Piledriver architecture, fabricated at GlobalFoundries on a 32 nm process. The A10 PRO-7850B is a Kaveri part built on Steamroller, manufactured on a 28 nm node. That node shrink is visible in the transistor budget: Kaveri packs 2,411 million transistors onto a 245 mm² die, while Richland manages 1,303 million transistors on a 246 mm² die of essentially the same physical size. Nearly double the transistor count on the same silicon area is the clearest single indicator of how much changed between the two generations.

Cache configuration also differs at the first level. The 7850B carries 256 KB of L1 cache against 192 KB on the 6800K. Both share an identical 4 MB of L2 and neither has any L3 cache, a common trait of AMD APUs of this era that limits performance in latency-sensitive workloads.

Platform connectivity is another meaningful split. The 7850B exposes PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the 6800K is limited to PCIe Gen 2. For anyone pairing these with a discrete graphics card, the newer part offers a newer and higher-bandwidth interface. The 6800K compensates in one enthusiast-oriented direction with its unlocked multiplier, something the PRO-branded 7850B lacks.

Both parts share DDR3 memory support on a dual-channel bus with 34.1 GB/s of memory bandwidth, so there is no differentiation in memory behavior. Neither supports ECC.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data shows each chip winning exactly one test, and the margins are small in both directions.

Multi-core goes to the A10 PRO-7850B: 1194 versus 1140 in Geekbench multi-core, a 4.7 percent advantage. This is the expected outcome of Steamroller's improved core design overcoming the older chip's clock speed advantage. The 7850B runs at a 3.70 GHz base and 4.00 GHz boost, notably lower than the 6800K's 4.10 GHz base and 4.40 GHz boost, yet it still delivers more aggregate throughput. Kaveri does more with less frequency here.

Single-core goes the other way. The A10-6800K posts 478 against 462, a 3.3 percent win, and the raw frequency numbers explain most of it. The 6800K boosts 400 MHz higher, and that advantage holds off Steamroller's per-clock improvements in lightly threaded tasks. For applications that lean on one fast thread, the older chip is genuinely the faster choice.

Context from the rival data sharpens the picture. The 7850B's average score of 828 puts it within one percent of chips like the Intel Core i5-3360M (835), the AMD PRO A10-8750B (821), the Intel Xeon E5540 (820), and the Intel Xeon X3450 (837). The 6800K's average of 809 lines up almost exactly with the Intel Core i7-870S (809), the AMD Athlon X4 850 (806), the Intel Xeon X5482 (805), and the Intel Core i7-5550U (813). In practical terms, both APUs perform in the same neighborhood as older mainstream quad-cores and low-power mobile parts, and the two percent gap between them is smaller than the spread within either chip's own rival group.

Thermals deserve a mention alongside performance. The 7850B is rated at 95 W TDP versus 100 W for the 6800K, so the newer part delivers its multi-core win while drawing slightly less on paper, despite the larger transistor count.

Specification Differences

The fields where these two differ:

• Base clock: 3.70 GHz (7850B) versus 4.10 GHz (6800K)
• Boost clock: 4.00 GHz (7850B) versus 4.40 GHz (6800K)
• TDP: 95 W (7850B) versus 100 W (6800K)
• Socket: FM2+ (7850B) versus FM2 (6800K)
• Architecture: Steamroller (7850B) versus Piledriver (6800K)
• Codename: Kaveri (7850B) versus Richland (6800K)
• Process node: 28 nm (7850B) versus 32 nm (6800K)
• Transistors: 2,411 million (7850B) versus 1,303 million (6800K)
• Die size: 245 mm² (7850B) versus 246 mm² (6800K)
• L1 cache: 256 KB (7850B) versus 192 KB (6800K)
• PCIe: Gen 3, 16 lanes CPU-only (7850B) versus Gen 2 (6800K)
• Integrated graphics: Radeon R7 (7850B) versus Radeon HD 8670D (6800K)
• Multiplier: locked (7850B) versus unlocked (6800K)
• Release date: July 30, 2014 (7850B) versus May 31, 2013 (6800K)

Everything else is common ground: four cores, four threads, 4 MB of L2, no L3, DDR3 dual-channel support at 34.1 GB/s bandwidth, no ECC, desktop segment, end-of-life status, and GlobalFoundries manufacturing.

The Verdict

The data supports a simple rule: pick the A10 PRO-7850B for multi-threaded and platform-oriented builds, pick the A10-6800K for clock speed and tuning flexibility.

The 7850B wins the multi-core benchmark by 4.7 percent, does so at a lower 95 W TDP, offers the newer Radeon R7 graphics, provides PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes, and sits on the newer FM2+ socket. Its PRO branding and locked multiplier mark it as the business-system part, and the database reflects that positioning: its closest rival is the AMD PRO A10-8750B, another member of the same business line.

The 6800K wins single-core by 3.3 percent on the strength of its higher clocks, and its unlocked multiplier is the only overclocking option between the two. Builders who want to push frequency on legacy hardware have exactly one choice here. It also carries the only recorded launch MSRP, $142, from its 2013 introduction.

Neither part escapes the 22nd percentile, so expectations should be calibrated accordingly. These are legacy machines for light duty, office work, or as parts for an existing FM2 or FM2+ board, not candidates for a modern performance build.

Where Each One Wins

A10 PRO-7850B wins for:

• Multi-threaded workloads: 1194 versus 1140 in Geekbench multi-core, a 4.7 percent lead
• Efficiency-sensitive builds: 95 W TDP versus 100 W, while delivering more multi-core performance
• Discrete graphics pairings: PCIe Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes versus Gen 2
• Newer integrated graphics: Radeon R7 versus the older Radeon HD 8670D
• Overall aggregate performance: average benchmark score of 828 versus 809

A10-6800K wins for:

• Single-threaded and lightly threaded applications: 478 versus 462 in Geekbench single-core, a 3.3 percent lead
• Overclocking: unlocked multiplier versus a locked one
• Higher stock clocks: 4.10 GHz base and 4.40 GHz boost, the fastest frequencies between the two
• Legacy FM2 systems: it is the only option of the two that drops into an FM2 board

The split is even on paper, one benchmark win each, but the shape of the wins differs. The 7850B's multi-core advantage comes from architectural progress, while the 6800K's single-core advantage comes from raw frequency and survives a full generation of core redesign. Choose based on which kind of workload dominates the machine's day, and let the socket already on the motherboard settle any remaining doubt.