AMD A10-6800K vs AMD Ryzen 3 2200U Comparison

The AMD A10-6800K and AMD Ryzen 3 2200U represent two distinct eras of AMD silicon, separated by nearly five years of architectural evolution. The A10-6800K is a 100W desktop part built on the aging Piledriver architecture with a 4.10 GHz base clock, while the Ryzen 3 2200U is a 15W mobile processor using the modern Zen architecture with a 2.50 GHz base clock. Despite the massive disparity in thermal design power and clock speeds, the benchmark data reveals a decisive victory for the younger, lower-power chip across every measured metric, underscoring how far IPC and efficiency have come in that span.

Where Each One Wins

The data is unambiguous: the Ryzen 3 2200U wins every single head-to-head benchmark recorded in this comparison. In the two available Geekbench tests, the Ryzen 3 2200U dominates both multi-core and single-core performance. The multi-core score of 1880 versus 1140 for the A10-6800K represents a 39.4% advantage for the Ryzen part, while the single-core score of 911 versus 478 is a staggering 47.5% lead. There are zero benchmark wins for the A10-6800K in the head-to-head data, which means the older desktop chip does not claim victory in any measured category.

Looking beyond the direct head-to-head, the Ryzen 3 2200U also has additional benchmark data not available for the A10-6800K. The Cinebench R15 results show a multi-core score of 312 and a single-core score of 117 for the Ryzen part. These scores are not directly comparable to the A10-6800K since the older chip lacks Cinebench data in the fact pack, but they provide additional context for the Ryzen's overall performance profile. The A10-6800K's only benchmark data comes from Geekbench, where it scores 1140 multi-core and 478 single-core, both far below the Ryzen's corresponding scores.

The average benchmark score paints a nearly identical picture. The A10-6800K averages 809 across its benchmarks, while the Ryzen 3 2200U averages 805. This near-parity in average score, despite the Ryzen's massive wins in the head-to-head Geekbench tests, is explained by the different benchmark suites available for each chip. The A10-6800K's average is computed from only two Geekbench scores, while the Ryzen's average includes four scores across two different test suites, with the lower Cinebench numbers pulling its average down. This discrepancy highlights the importance of looking at the specific head-to-head data rather than relying solely on aggregate averages.

The Verdict

For anyone choosing between these two processors based strictly on benchmark performance, the Ryzen 3 2200U is the clear winner. The data shows a 39.4% advantage in multi-core Geekbench performance and a 47.5% advantage in single-core performance. These are not marginal differences; they represent a generational leap in processing capability. The Ryzen 3 2200U achieves this while consuming only 15W of power compared to the A10-6800K's 100W TDP, making it dramatically more efficient per watt of performance.

The A10-6800K does retain some advantages that are not captured in the benchmark scores. It has a higher base clock of 4.10 GHz versus 2.50 GHz for the Ryzen, and it features an unlocked multiplier, allowing for overclocking. It also supports DDR3 memory rather than DDR4, which may be relevant for users with existing DDR3 platforms. However, these advantages do not translate into benchmark wins, as the Ryzen's superior architecture more than compensates for its lower clock speeds. The A10-6800K was released on 2013-05-31 and is end-of-life, while the Ryzen 3 2200U was released on 2018-01-07 and remains active, suggesting the Ryzen will have better long-term support and availability.

The percentile ranking versus all CPUs is identical for both parts at 22, placing them in the same overall performance tier despite the Ryzen's clear head-to-head dominance. This suggests that while the Ryzen wins decisively in these specific tests, both processors occupy a similar position in the broader CPU landscape. For users with a desktop FM2 platform who already own the A10-6800K, the choice may be moot, but for any new purchase, the benchmark data unambiguously favors the Ryzen 3 2200U.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Geekbench multi-core test provides the first and most comprehensive look at the performance gap between these two processors. The A10-6800K scores 1140, while the Ryzen 3 2200U scores 1880, a difference of 740 points that translates to a 39.4% delta in favor of the Ryzen. This is particularly notable because the A10-6800K has four physical cores while the Ryzen 3 2200U has only two, but with four threads through simultaneous multithreading. The Ryzen's Zen architecture delivers substantially more instructions per clock than the Piledriver architecture, allowing it to overcome its core count and clock speed disadvantages.

The Geekbench single-core test reveals an even more dramatic disparity. The A10-6800K scores 478, while the Ryzen 3 2200U scores 911, a delta of 47.5% in favor of the Ryzen. This result is particularly telling because the A10-6800K has a 4.10 GHz base clock and a 4.40 GHz boost clock, while the Ryzen 3 2200U operates at just 2.50 GHz base and 3.40 GHz boost. The fact that the Ryzen nearly doubles the A10's single-core score despite running at significantly lower clock speeds demonstrates the massive IPC advantage of the Zen architecture over Piledriver. The 433-point difference in this test is the largest absolute gap between the two processors in any measured metric.

Looking at the nearest rivals for each processor provides additional context for these scores. The A10-6800K's average score of 809 places it alongside the Intel Core i7-870S, which also scores 809 with a 0% delta, and the AMD Athlon X4 850 at 806 with a 0.4% delta. The Ryzen 3 2200U's average of 805 places it near the Intel Xeon X5482 at 805 with a 0% delta and the AMD Athlon X4 850 at 806 with a -0.1% delta. This shows that despite their differences in architecture and power consumption, both processors land in the same performance neighborhood when averaging across their respective benchmark suites.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher multi-core Geekbench score?

A: The AMD Ryzen 3 2200U scores 1880 in Geekbench multi-core, compared to 1140 for the AMD A10-6800K, giving the Ryzen a 39.4% advantage.

Q: What is the single-core performance difference between these two chips?

A: The Ryzen 3 2200U scores 911 in Geekbench single-core, while the A10-6800K scores 478, resulting in a 47.5% lead for the Ryzen.

Q: How does the power consumption compare between the two processors?

A: The A10-6800K has a TDP of 100W, while the Ryzen 3 2200U has a TDP of just 15W, making the Ryzen dramatically more power-efficient.

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The A10-6800K has 4 physical cores with 4 threads, while the Ryzen 3 2200U has 2 physical cores with 4 threads through simultaneous multithreading.

Q: What are the release dates for these processors?

A: The A10-6800K was released on 2013-05-31 and is end-of-life, while the Ryzen 3 2200U was released on 2018-01-07 and is still active.

Q: Do these processors support the same memory type?

A: No, the A10-6800K supports DDR3 memory with dual-channel configuration and 34.1 GB/s bandwidth, while the Ryzen 3 2200U supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel configuration and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two processors is substantial, starting with the process node. The A10-6800K is built on a 32 nm process at GlobalFoundries, while the Ryzen 3 2200U uses a 14 nm process, also at GlobalFoundries. This process shrink contributes significantly to the Ryzen's efficiency advantages, allowing it to pack more transistors into a smaller die. The A10-6800K contains 1,303 million transistors on a 246 mm² die, while the Ryzen 3 2200U contains 4,950 million transistors on a 210 mm² die, meaning the Ryzen has nearly four times as many transistors in a smaller physical area.

The core architectures are fundamentally different generations. The A10-6800K uses the Piledriver architecture with the Richland codename, while the Ryzen 3 2200U uses the Zen architecture with the Raven Ridge codename. This represents a major IPC improvement, as the benchmark data clearly demonstrates. The cache configurations also differ substantially. The A10-6800K has 192 KB of L1 cache and 4 MB of L2 cache with no L3 cache, while the Ryzen 3 2200U has 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The presence of L3 cache in the Ryzen is a significant architectural advantage, providing a larger and faster pool of data for the processor to access.

The integrated graphics also differ between the two parts. The A10-6800K features the Radeon HD 8670D, while the Ryzen 3 2200U features the Radeon Vega 3. Both processors share the same dual-channel memory architecture, though the Ryzen supports DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth compared to the A10's DDR3 with 34.1 GB/s. The PCIe support also differs, with the A10 using Gen 2 while the Ryzen uses Gen 3 with 8 lanes for the CPU. The Ryzen 3 2200U has a locked multiplier, while the A10-6800K has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. The socket types are entirely different as well, with the A10 using AMD Socket FM2 and the Ryzen using AMD Socket FP5, meaning these processors are not interchangeable in any platform.