AMD A6-9400 vs Intel Pentium Silver J5005 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data shows a consistent, decisive advantage for the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 across every single test in the head-to-head comparison. The AMD A6-9400 does not win a single benchmark in this five-test suite. The Intel part leads in all five Cinebench tests, with the margin hovering between 13.1% and 13.4% in each case.

Starting with the oldest test in the set, Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 scores 268 against the AMD A6-9400’s 232. That is a 13.4% deficit for the AMD part. Moving to Cinebench R20 multi-core, the Intel chip posts 1117 while the AMD chip manages 969, a 13.2% gap. The single-core results tell the same story: in Cinebench R20 single-core, Intel leads 157 to 136, again a 13.4% difference.

The newer Cinebench R23 numbers reinforce the pattern. In multi-core, the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 scores 2660 versus 2309 for the AMD A6-9400, a 13.2% advantage. In single-core, Intel’s 375 beats AMD’s 326 by 13.1%. The consistency of these margins is remarkable: no test shows a swing larger than 0.3 percentage points from the mean. This is not a case of one chip winning on some workloads and losing on others; the Intel part is uniformly faster in every measured scenario.

The average benchmark score for the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 is 776, while the AMD A6-9400 sits at 794. Interestingly, the AMD part has a higher average score despite losing every head-to-head test. This discrepancy arises because the averages are computed across different benchmark sets for each processor, and the AMD chip’s recorded tests happen to skew toward multi-threaded workloads where its two cores can stretch. Still, in the direct comparisons where both chips ran identical tests, the Intel part wins all five.

Where Each One Wins

The data offers a clear split: the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 wins everywhere in the Cinebench suite, but the AMD A6-9400 holds a narrow edge in the aggregate benchmark average. For users looking at pure Cinebench performance, the Intel part is the unambiguous choice. It leads in both single-core and multi-core tests across three different Cinebench versions, which suggests its advantage is structural rather than workload-specific.

The AMD A6-9400’s higher average benchmark score (794 versus 776) comes from its nearest-rival positioning. The database places the AMD chip alongside the AMD A10-5800B at 794 (0.1% delta), the AMD A10-7850K at 796 (-0.3% delta), and the AMD Ryzen Embedded R1606G at 797 (-0.3% delta). The Intel Pentium Silver J5005, meanwhile, sits near the AMD Athlon X4 760K at 777 (-0.1% delta), the Intel Core i3-3250T at 775 (0.2% delta), and the Intel Celeron G5920 at 775 (0.2% delta).

Both CPUs land at the 21st percentile among all processors in the database. That means neither chip is a performance leader in absolute terms; they both occupy the lower-midrange tier. But within that tier, the Intel part demonstrates better Cinebench throughput, while the AMD part’s average is buoyed by its specific test mix. For a user who cares about Cinebench scores specifically, the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 is the stronger pick. For someone who looks only at the aggregate database score, the AMD A6-9400 appears marginally ahead, though that advantage is less than 3% and comes from non-overlapping test sets.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD A6-9400 uses the Excavator architecture on the Bristol Ridge codename, built on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It has 2 cores and 2 threads, with a base clock of 3.40 GHz and a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. The Intel Pentium Silver J5005 uses the Goldmont Plus architecture on the Gemini Lake codename, built on a 14 nm process at Intel. It has 4 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 1500.00 MHz (1.50 GHz) and a boost clock of 2.80 GHz.

The core count difference is significant: Intel offers twice as many physical cores. Even though the Intel part’s base clock is much lower (1.50 GHz versus 3.40 GHz), its boost clock of 2.80 GHz is closer to the AMD chip’s 3.70 GHz. The AMD chip’s higher clocks help it in lightly threaded scenarios, but the Intel chip’s four cores give it an advantage in multi-threaded work, which the Cinebench multi-core results confirm.

Cache configurations also diverge sharply. The AMD A6-9400 has 160 KB of L1 cache and 1 MB of shared L2 cache. The Intel Pentium Silver J5005 has 56 KB of L1 cache per core and 4 MB of shared L2 cache. The Intel chip’s L2 cache is four times larger, which likely contributes to its better sustained performance in the benchmark suite.

Power and packaging differ as well. The AMD part has a TDP of 65 watts and uses the AMD Socket AM4. The Intel part has a TDP of 10 watts and uses the Intel BGA 1090 socket. The Intel chip is classified as a mobile processor, while the AMD chip is a desktop part. The Intel chip is also end-of-life in production status, while the AMD chip remains active. The AMD part’s die size is 250 mm² with 3,100 million transistors, while the Intel part’s die size is 93 mm² with no transistor count recorded. The Intel chip uses PCIe Gen 2 with 6 lanes, whereas the AMD chip uses PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes.

Integrated graphics differ: the AMD A6-9400 pairs with Radeon R5 graphics, while the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 includes UHD Graphics 605. Both support DDR4 memory in dual-channel mode with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, and neither supports ECC memory. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded benchmark data, the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 is the faster processor in every head-to-head Cinebench test. It wins all five comparisons with margins between 13.1% and 13.4%. If the decision hinges on Cinebench performance, the Intel part is the clear choice.

The AMD A6-9400 does have a higher average benchmark score (794 versus 776), but that number comes from a different, non-overlapping test set. In direct comparisons, the AMD chip never beats the Intel chip. The AMD part’s advantages are architectural: it has a higher boost clock (3.70 GHz versus 2.80 GHz), a newer PCIe generation (Gen 3 versus Gen 2), more PCIe lanes (8 versus 6), and a desktop socket (AM4) that offers upgrade potential. The Intel part counters with more cores (4 versus 2), a much larger L2 cache (4 MB versus 1 MB), a dramatically lower TDP (10 watts versus 65 watts), and a smaller die (93 mm² versus 250 mm²).

For a user prioritizing raw Cinebench scores, the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 is the better processor. For a user who values the aggregate database average, the AMD A6-9400 appears marginally ahead, though that lead is minimal and test-dependent. The Intel chip’s mobile classification and end-of-life status may matter for long-term availability, but the recorded performance data favors Intel in every direct benchmark. The AMD chip’s active production status and desktop socket could appeal to someone building a new AM4 system, but the benchmark results do not support choosing it for performance reasons.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Pentium Silver J5005 scores 2660, beating the AMD A6-9400’s 2309 by 13.2%.

Q: Does the AMD A6-9400 win any head-to-head benchmark?

A: No. The Intel Pentium Silver J5005 wins all five head-to-head tests, with the AMD chip losing each by 13.1% to 13.4%.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD A6-9400 has an average benchmark score of 794, while the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 has an average of 776. The AMD part is ahead by 18 points, despite losing every direct comparison.

Q: What are the core and thread counts?

A: The AMD A6-9400 has 2 cores and 2 threads. The Intel Pentium Silver J5005 has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Which processor has a lower TDP?

A: The Intel Pentium Silver J5005 has a TDP of 10 watts, compared to 65 watts for the AMD A6-9400.

Q: What is the launch MSRP of the Intel Pentium Silver J5005?

A: The launch MSRP is $161. The AMD A6-9400 has no recorded launch MSRP in the database.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD A6-9400 | Intel Pentium Silver J5005 |

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

| Cores | 2 | 4 |

| Threads | 2 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 3.40 GHz | 1500.00 MHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.70 GHz | 2.80 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 10 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | Intel BGA 1090 |

| Architecture | Excavator | Goldmont Plus |

| Codename | Bristol Ridge | Gemini Lake |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 14 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Intel |

| Transistors | 3,100 million | Not recorded |

| Die Size | 250 mm² | 93 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 160 KB | 56 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (shared) | 4 MB (shared) |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 8 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 2, 6 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon R5 | UHD Graphics 605 |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2019-03-15 | 2017-12-10 |

| Launch MSRP | Not recorded | $161 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | No |

| Part Number | AD9400AGABBOX | SR3S3 |