CPU Comparison

FAQ

Q: Which CPU has more physical cores?

A: The AMD A12-9800E has 4 physical cores, while the Intel Pentium G4560 has 2 physical cores. Both CPUs support 4 threads total, meaning the Intel part relies on hyperthreading to match the AMD part's thread count.

Q: How do the average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD A12-9800E posts an average benchmark score of 1033, while the Intel Pentium G4560 scores 1031. This places the AMD part 0.2% ahead of the Intel part in the nearestRivals comparison, though both fall in the 28th percentile of all CPUs.

Q: What are the biggest single-core performance differences?

A: In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Intel Pentium G4560 scores 177 versus the AMD A12-9800E's 174, a 1.7% advantage for Intel. In Cinebench R23 single-core, Intel again leads with 423 versus 416, also a 1.7% margin.

Q: Which CPU has a higher base clock speed?

A: The Intel Pentium G4560 runs at a base clock of 3.50 GHz, whereas the AMD A12-9800E has a base clock of 3.10 GHz. The AMD part has a boost clock of 3.80 GHz, while the Intel part has no boost clock listed.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth specification for each?

A: The Intel Pentium G4560 has a rated memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The AMD A12-9800E does not have a memory bandwidth figure listed in the data pack.

Q: How many PCIe lanes does each CPU provide?

A: The Intel Pentium G4560 offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the AMD A12-9800E provides PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only). This gives Intel a 2x advantage in CPU-attached PCIe lane count.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD A12-9800E is built on the Excavator architecture, part of the Bristol Ridge generation, fabricated on a 28 nm process by GlobalFoundries. It integrates 3,100 million transistors on a die size of 250 mm². The Intel Pentium G4560 uses the Kaby Lake architecture, built on a 14 nm process by Intel, and the data pack lists no transistor count or die size for it.

Core topology is the most visible divergence. AMD packs 4 physical cores with 4 threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading. Intel uses 2 physical cores with 4 threads, relying on hyperthreading to double the thread count. The cache hierarchy reflects this difference: AMD has 320 KB of L1 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache with no L3 cache at all, while Intel allocates 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 3 MB of shared L3 cache.

The memory controllers are similar in that both support DDR4 and dual-channel operation, but Intel's rated memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s is explicitly listed, whereas AMD's is not. PCIe connectivity also differs: Intel provides 16 CPU-attached Gen 3 lanes, double the 8 lanes on the AMD part. Integrated graphics differ as well, with the AMD A12-9800E featuring Radeon R7 graphics versus the Intel HD 610 on the Pentium G4560.

Clock behavior is another distinguishing factor. The AMD part has both a base clock of 3.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz, giving it a 0.70 GHz headroom for single-threaded bursts. The Intel part runs at a fixed 3.50 GHz with no boost clock listed. Thermal design power also separates them: AMD draws 35 W, while Intel is rated at 51 W. The AMD chip uses Socket AM4, and the Intel chip uses Socket 1151. Neither CPU has an unlocked multiplier.

The Verdict

The benchmark data shows a remarkably close matchup, but the Intel Pentium G4560 wins every head-to-head test in the pack, taking 5 wins to 0 for the AMD A12-9800E. The margins are consistent but narrow: Intel leads by 1.3% in Cinebench R15 multicore, 1.5% in Cinebench R20 multicore, 1.7% in Cinebench R20 single-core, 1.5% in Cinebench R23 multicore, and 1.7% in Cinebench R23 single-core. If raw compute is the only criterion, the Pentium G4560 is the choice, albeit by a slim margin.

However, the AMD A12-9800E offers the same 28th percentile standing among all CPUs and a slightly higher average benchmark score (1033 vs. 1031). The AMD part also has a 35 W TDP versus Intel's 51 W, which suggests lower power draw on paper. The AMD chip has two additional physical cores, which may help in workloads that favor real cores over threads, but the benchmark results do not confirm any such advantage in the tests listed. The Intel part provides more PCIe lanes and a rated memory bandwidth figure, which could matter for system-level decisions. For users who need maximum single-thread or multi-thread performance in Cinebench workloads, the Pentium G4560 is the consistent winner. For users who prioritize lower TDP and additional physical cores, the A12-9800E has structural arguments, but the data does not show a performance benefit.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD A12-9800E | Intel Pentium G4560 |

|---|---|---|

| Cores | 4 | 2 |

| Threads | 4 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 3.10 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.80 GHz | None listed |

| TDP | 35 W | 51 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | Intel Socket 1151 |

| Architecture | Excavator | Kaby Lake |

| Codename | Bristol Ridge | Kaby Lake |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Intel |

| Transistors | 3,100 million | Not listed |

| Die Size | 250 mm² | Not listed |

| L1 Cache | 320 KB | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | None | 3 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not listed | 38.4 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 8 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon R7 | Intel HD 610 |

| Part Number | AD9800AHM44AB | SR32Y |

Both CPUs support DDR4 memory, dual-channel memory buses, do not support ECC memory, are for the Desktop market segment, are currently Active in production, and have locked multipliers.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head benchmark table shows a clean sweep for the Intel Pentium G4560, but the margins are small enough to be nearly negligible. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Pentium G4560 scores 301 against the AMD A12-9800E's 297, a 1.3% delta. This is the smallest gap in the set, and it suggests that the AMD part's two extra physical cores nearly compensate for Intel's architectural advantages in this older test.

Cinebench R20 multicore widens the gap slightly: Intel scores 1258, AMD scores 1239, for a 1.5% delta. The pattern continues in Cinebench R23 multicore, where Intel posts 2996 versus AMD's 2950, again a 1.5% margin. These multicore results are notable because the AMD A12-9800E has twice the physical core count, yet still trails. The Excavator architecture's per-core efficiency is the likely reason, though the data pack does not provide per-core metrics to confirm this.

Single-core tests show a slightly larger advantage for Intel. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Pentium G4560 scores 177 versus 174, a 1.7% delta. Cinebench R23 single-core repeats the exact 1.7% margin, with Intel at 423 and AMD at 416. The Intel part's higher base clock of 3.50 GHz compared to AMD's 3.10 GHz base (and 3.80 GHz boost) is a plausible contributor, but the boost clock does not close the gap in these tests.

The average benchmark score comparison tells a slightly different story. The AMD A12-9800E has an average score of 1033, while the Intel Pentium G4560 has 1031. This 0.2% delta in AMD's favor comes from benchmarks outside the head-to-head list, including Geekbench results where the AMD part scores 1521 multicore and 631 single-core. The Intel part has no Geekbench scores listed in the pack, so the average score includes data from a broader test suite.

The nearestRivals data reinforces how close these two parts are. The AMD A12-9800E's nearest rival list includes the Intel Pentium G4560 with a delta of 0.2% (AMD ahead). The Intel Pentium G4560's nearest rival list includes the AMD A12-9800E with a delta of -0.2% (Intel behind). Both CPUs also sit near the AMD A10-9700, which scores 1034, and other parts like the AMD A10-7890K at 1035 and the AMD A8-7680 at 1036. This cluster of scores within a few points suggests that neither CPU has a meaningful performance edge in aggregate.

For users focused on Cinebench-style rendering workloads, the Intel Pentium G4560 is the winner across all five tests, with a maximum advantage of 1.7%. For users looking at the broader average benchmark score, the AMD A12-9800E holds a 0.2% edge. The data shows that these CPUs are effectively peers in overall performance, with Intel having a slight but consistent edge in the tested Cinebench suite. The AMD part's advantages lie in lower TDP, more physical cores, and a slightly higher average score, while the Intel part counters with more PCIe lanes, a rated memory bandwidth, and a 14 nm process node.