AMD A6-9400 vs Intel Pentium G4520 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits this comparison cleanly: the AMD A6-9400 wins every recorded test, but the margins are narrow. Across all five Cinebench workloads, the AMD part takes the top spot, while the Intel Pentium G4520 records zero wins. The largest advantage for the AMD A6-9400 appears in Cinebench R20 single-core, where it leads by 2.3%. The other four tests show deltas between 2.1% and 2.2%, meaning the two processors are effectively in the same performance tier.

For multi-threaded workloads, the AMD A6-9400 posts 232 points in Cinebench R15 multi-core versus 227 for the Intel part. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the AMD scores 969 against 949. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 2309 for AMD and 2261 for Intel. These are small but consistent advantages. The AMD processor does not rely on any single workload to pull ahead; it maintains its lead across renderers of different generations and scaling behaviors.

Single-thread performance follows the same pattern. The AMD A6-9400 records 136 points in Cinebench R20 single-core, while the Intel Pentium G4520 scores 133. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD part reaches 326 versus 319 for Intel. Again, the margin is roughly 2%, but it appears in every test. The data indicates that the AMD A6-9400 holds a slight edge in both lightly threaded and fully threaded scenarios, which is unusual given the architectural differences between the two chips.

Looking at average benchmark scores, the AMD A6-9400 sits at 794, while the Intel Pentium G4520 averages 778. That is a 2.1% gap in the aggregate. Both processors land at the 21st percentile among all CPUs in the database, so they occupy the same overall performance class. Neither chip is a standout in the broader CPU landscape, but within this pairing, the AMD A6-9400 is consistently ahead.

The Intel Pentium G4520 does have one structural advantage that does not show up in these specific Cinebench scores: its base clock is 3.60 GHz versus 3.40 GHz for the AMD part, and it carries a larger L3 cache. However, in the recorded benchmarks, that hardware advantage does not translate into a win. The AMD A6-9400 compensates with a boost clock of 3.70 GHz, which the Intel chip lacks entirely. That boost capability likely explains why the AMD part edges ahead in single-core tests despite the lower base frequency.

In summary, the AMD A6-9400 wins all five head-to-head benchmarks and the average score comparison. The Intel Pentium G4520 wins nothing in the measured data. The margins are small enough that real-world differences would be difficult to perceive, but the direction of the data is unambiguous.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design schools. The AMD A6-9400 uses the Excavator architecture on the Bristol Ridge codename, built on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The Intel Pentium G4520 uses Skylake, built on a 14 nm process at Intel. The process node difference is substantial: 28 nm versus 14 nm. Intel packs 1,400 million transistors onto a 150 mm² die, while AMD uses 3,100 million transistors across a larger 250 mm² die. Despite having more than twice the transistor count, the AMD chip lands on an older, less dense process.

Cache hierarchies differ significantly. The AMD A6-9400 has 160 KB of L1 cache and 1 MB of shared L2 cache, with no L3 cache at all. The Intel Pentium G4520 has 64 KB of L1 per core (128 KB total for two cores), 256 KB of L2 per core (512 KB total), and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. This is a major structural difference. Intel provides a dedicated L3 pool that can serve both cores, while AMD relies entirely on its smaller L2. In memory-bound workloads, the Intel chip has more on-die storage to draw from, yet the benchmark data does not show this translating into a performance win.

Clock behavior also differs. The AMD A6-9400 has a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. The Intel Pentium G4520 has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and no boost clock. So the Intel part starts higher but cannot increase frequency under load. The AMD part starts lower but can raise itself by 300 MHz when conditions allow. In single-threaded tests, that boost likely contributes to the AMD chip's 2.2% to 2.3% advantage.

Memory support is another split. The AMD A6-9400 supports DDR4 only, with dual-channel memory and a theoretical bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The Intel Pentium G4520 supports both DDR3 and DDR4, also dual-channel, with a bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The AMD chip has a higher memory bandwidth figure, which may help in bandwidth-sensitive workloads, though the Cinebench tests in this database are primarily compute-bound.

PCIe lane allocation differs as well. The AMD A6-9400 provides 8 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel Pentium G4520 provides 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes. For a desktop processor, this can affect expansion options, particularly for discrete GPUs. The Intel part offers more direct CPU-attached lanes, which is a practical advantage for users building systems with multiple devices.

Integrated graphics differ. The AMD A6-9400 carries a Radeon R5 iGPU, while the Intel Pentium G4520 has Intel HD 530. The database does not include graphics benchmarks, so no performance comparison is possible from this data. However, the presence of different iGPU families means system builders should check specific graphics needs separately.

Both processors are desktop parts with two cores and two threads. Neither supports ECC memory. Neither has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD part uses AMD Socket AM4, while the Intel part uses Intel Socket 1151. These sockets are not interchangeable, so motherboard choice is predetermined by the CPU. The AMD A6-9400 was released in March 2019, while the Intel Pentium G4520 came out in August 2015. The AMD part is newer by several years, which may explain its slightly better performance despite the older architecture.

Power consumption differs: the AMD A6-9400 has a 65 W TDP, while the Intel Pentium G4520 sits at 51 W. The Intel chip uses less power, which is consistent with its smaller die and 14 nm process. The AMD chip draws more power but delivers a small performance edge.

Neither processor is listed with a launch MSRP in the database, so no pricing comparison is possible. Both are marked as Active in production status.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The five recorded tests all follow the same pattern: the AMD A6-9400 wins by a narrow margin. Cinebench R15 multi-core shows the AMD part at 232 and the Intel part at 227, a 2.2% difference. This is the oldest test in the set, and it still favors the AMD chip. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 969 versus 949, a 2.1% gap. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 2309 versus 2261, also 2.1%.

Single-core results are nearly identical in relative terms. Cinebench R20 single-core gives the AMD A6-9400 a score of 136 against 133 for the Intel Pentium G4520, a 2.3% lead. Cinebench R23 single-core gives 326 versus 319, a 2.2% lead. The consistency is notable: across five different workloads, the delta never drops below 2.1% and never rises above 2.3%. This suggests the performance difference is stable and not workload-dependent.

The average benchmark score reinforces the trend. The AMD A6-9400 averages 794, while the Intel Pentium G4520 averages 778. That is a 16-point gap, or roughly 2.1%. When placed against their nearest rivals, both processors sit in a tightly packed group. The AMD A6-9400 is nearly identical to the AMD A10-5800B (794, delta 0.1%), the AMD A10-7850K (796, delta -0.3%), the AMD Ryzen Embedded R1606G (797, delta -0.3%), and the Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 (790, delta 0.5%). All of these chips are within a few points of each other.

The Intel Pentium G4520 sits in a similarly tight cluster. Its nearest rivals include the AMD A10-5800K (778, delta 0%), the AMD Athlon X4 760K (777, delta 0.2%), the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 (776, delta 0.3%), and the Intel Core i3-7100 (781, delta -0.4%). The Intel Core i3-7100 is actually slightly ahead of the Pentium G4520, by 0.4%. This shows that the Pentium G4520 is at the lower end of its immediate peer group, while the AMD A6-9400 is near the top of its own.

What do these numbers mean in practice? A 2% difference in Cinebench scores is close to the margin of error for many real-world tasks. Video encoding, 3D rendering, and office workloads would likely show no perceptible difference between these two chips. However, in a strictly measured environment, the AMD A6-9400 is the faster processor across every recorded benchmark. The Intel Pentium G4520 never once takes the lead, even in single-threaded tests where its higher base clock and larger L3 cache might be expected to help.

The absence of any Intel win is the most striking feature of the head-to-head data. The wins count is 5 for AMD and 0 for Intel. Even the closest result, Cinebench R23 multi-core at 2.1%, still clearly favors the AMD part. The data does not show a single scenario where the Intel chip outperforms the AMD chip.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded data, the AMD A6-9400 is the faster processor. It wins all five Cinebench tests, holds a higher average benchmark score (794 versus 778), and posts a positive delta in every head-to-head comparison. The margins are small, ranging from 2.1% to 2.3%, but they are consistent across both single-core and multi-core workloads. There is no benchmark in the database where the Intel Pentium G4520 comes out ahead.

Users who prioritize raw compute performance in Cinebench-style workloads should choose the AMD A6-9400. Its boost clock of 3.70 GHz, which the Intel chip lacks, appears to be the key differentiator. The AMD part also offers higher memory bandwidth (38.4 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s) and a newer release date (2019 versus 2015). These factors together explain why the older Excavator architecture can still edge out Skylake in this pairing.

Users who prioritize power efficiency should consider the Intel Pentium G4520. Its TDP is 51 W versus 65 W for the AMD part. That 14 W difference can matter in compact systems or always-on machines. The Intel chip also provides 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes versus 8 for the AMD chip, which is relevant for users planning to install a discrete GPU or multiple expansion cards. The larger 4 MB L3 cache on the Intel part may also help in workloads that the Cinebench suite does not capture, though the database does not include such tests.

The average scores place both chips at the 21st percentile among all CPUs, so neither is a high-performance part. They are entry-level desktop processors with two cores and two threads. For basic productivity, web browsing, and light multitasking, either chip would suffice. For heavy rendering or modern gaming, neither would be adequate. The data shows that the AMD A6-9400 is marginally better within this limited performance envelope, while the Intel Pentium G4520 offers lower power draw and more PCIe connectivity.

There is no pricing data in the database, so no cost-based recommendation is possible. The decision should rest on the recorded benchmark results and the architectural differences noted above. If performance is the sole criterion, the AMD A6-9400 wins. If power consumption and expansion capacity matter more, the Intel Pentium G4520 has legitimate advantages that the Cinebench scores do not reflect. The benchmark data is clear, but it covers only one workload family.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD A6-9400 scores 326, while the Intel Pentium G4520 scores 319. The AMD part leads by 2.2%.

Q: Does the Intel Pentium G4520 win any benchmark in the database?

A: No. The head-to-head results show 5 wins for the AMD A6-9400 and 0 wins for the Intel Pentium G4520.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two CPUs?

A: The AMD A6-9400 has an average score of 794, while the Intel Pentium G4520 averages 778. The AMD part is about 2.1% higher.

Q: Which processor has a larger L3 cache?

A: The Intel Pentium G4520 has 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD A6-9400 has no L3 cache at all, relying on 1 MB of shared L2.

Q: Which CPU supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory?

A: The Intel Pentium G4520 supports both DDR3 and DDR4. The AMD A6-9400 supports DDR4 only.

Q: How do the two chips compare in power consumption?

A: The AMD A6-9400 has a TDP of 65 W, while the Intel Pentium G4520 has a TDP of 51 W. The Intel part draws less power.