AMD Athlon 240GE vs AMD PRO A12-8870 Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the AMD Athlon 240GE wins every recorded head-to-head test against the AMD PRO A12-8870, taking all five Cinebench comparisons. The Athlon 240GE posts a 20.4% lead in multi-core workloads across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23, and a 20.5% advantage in single-core tests for both R20 and R23. Despite having only 2 cores versus the PRO A12-8870's 4 cores, the Athlon 240GE's newer Zen architecture delivers substantially higher performance per thread. The PRO A12-8870 holds no wins in any measured benchmark, and its average benchmark score of 1107 sits just 1.3% below the Athlon 240GE's 1121 average.

For a builder choosing between these two, the Athlon 240GE is the clear pick for any workload where Cinebench scores matter, which typically translates to general productivity, multitasking, and lightly threaded applications. The PRO A12-8870 offers no performance advantage in the recorded data, and its higher 65W TDP suggests less efficiency. The Athlon 240GE also carries a launch MSRP of $75, while the PRO A12-8870 has no recorded launch price in the database. If you need a drop-in AM4 processor with better measured performance and lower power draw, the data points squarely at the Athlon 240GE.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The AMD PRO A12-8870 has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the AMD Athlon 240GE has 2 cores and 4 threads. The Athlon 240GE uses simultaneous multithreading to double its thread count, matching the PRO A12-8870 in threads despite half the physical cores.

Q: Does the Athlon 240GE really beat the PRO A12-8870 in multi-core tests with fewer cores?

A: Yes. The Athlon 240GE scores 390 in Cinebench R15 multi-core versus 324 for the PRO A12-8870, a 20.4% advantage. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the Athlon 240GE scores 3876 versus 3218, again a 20.4% lead. The Zen architecture's higher instructions per clock more than compensates for the core deficit.

Q: What is the single-core performance difference?

A: The Athlon 240GE leads by 20.5% in both Cinebench R20 single-core (229 vs 190) and Cinebench R23 single-core (547 vs 454). This consistent margin indicates a fundamental architectural advantage, not a workload-specific anomaly.

Q: Which processor has a lower TDP?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE has a 35W TDP, while the AMD PRO A12-8870 has a 65W TDP. The Athlon 240GE delivers higher performance while drawing less power, making it the more efficient option in the recorded specifications.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: Both support DDR4 memory with dual-channel buses. However, the Athlon 240GE has a higher memory bandwidth rating of 42.7 GB/s compared to 38.4 GB/s for the PRO A12-8870.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Athlon 240GE has an average benchmark score of 1121, placing it in the 32nd percentile of all CPUs. The PRO A12-8870 has an average score of 1107, placing it in the 31st percentile. The difference is 1.3%, with the Athlon 240GE ranked slightly higher overall.

Architecture Differences

The two processors represent fundamentally different AMD design eras. The Athlon 240GE uses the Zen architecture (codename Raven Ridge) built on a 14 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It integrates 4,950 million transistors on a 209.8 mm² die. The PRO A12-8870 uses the older Excavator architecture (codename Carrizo) on a 28 nm process, also at GlobalFoundries, with 3,100 million transistors on a larger 250 mm² die.

The cache layouts differ significantly. The Athlon 240GE has 96 KB of L1 cache per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The PRO A12-8870 has 320 KB of total L1 cache and 2 MB of L2, with no L3 cache at all. The presence of shared L3 cache on the Athlon 240GE is a major architectural advantage, as it allows faster data sharing between threads and reduces memory latency.

The integrated graphics also differ: the Athlon 240GE features Radeon Vega 3 graphics, while the PRO A12-8870 uses Radeon R7 graphics. Both are integrated solutions, but the Vega architecture is newer. The Athlon 240GE's memory bandwidth of 42.7 GB/s exceeds the PRO A12-8870's 38.4 GB/s, which also benefits the integrated graphics performance.

The PRO A12-8870 has a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, which the Athlon 240GE lacks entirely, but the Athlon's base clock of 3.50 GHz is only 0.20 GHz lower than the PRO A12-8870's 3.70 GHz base. The Zen core design delivers more work per clock cycle, so the clock speed advantage of the PRO A12-8870 does not translate into a performance win in the recorded benchmarks.

Specification Differences

The key specification differences between the two processors are as follows:

• Cores: Athlon 240GE has 2 cores; PRO A12-8870 has 4 cores.
• Threads: Both have 4 threads.
• Base clock: Athlon 240GE runs at 3.50 GHz; PRO A12-8870 runs at 3.70 GHz.
• Boost clock: Athlon 240GE has none; PRO A12-8870 boosts to 4.20 GHz.
• TDP: Athlon 240GE is rated at 35W; PRO A12-8870 is rated at 65W.
• Process node: Athlon 240GE uses 14 nm; PRO A12-8870 uses 28 nm.
• Transistor count: Athlon 240GE has 4,950 million; PRO A12-8870 has 3,100 million.
• Die size: Athlon 240GE measures 209.8 mm²; PRO A12-8870 measures 250 mm².
• L1 cache: Athlon 240GE has 96 KB per core; PRO A12-8870 has 320 KB total.
• L2 cache: Athlon 240GE has 512 KB per core; PRO A12-8870 has 2 MB total.
• L3 cache: Athlon 240GE has 4 MB shared; PRO A12-8870 has none.
• Memory bandwidth: Athlon 240GE rated at 42.7 GB/s; PRO A12-8870 rated at 38.4 GB/s.
• Integrated graphics: Athlon 240GE uses Radeon Vega 3; PRO A12-8870 uses Radeon R7.
• Release date: Athlon 240GE released on 2018-12-20; PRO A12-8870 has no recorded release date.
• Launch MSRP: Athlon 240GE has a launch MSRP of $75; PRO A12-8870 has none recorded.
• PCIe: Athlon 240GE specifies Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only); PRO A12-8870 specifies Gen 3 without lane details.

Both processors use AMD Socket AM4, support DDR4 memory, have dual-channel memory buses, do not support ECC memory, have locked multipliers, and are in active production as desktop parts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head results show a consistent and decisive pattern across every Cinebench test. The Athlon 240GE wins all five comparisons, with the PRO A12-8870 failing to secure a single victory.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Athlon 240GE scores 390 against 324 for the PRO A12-8870, a 20.4% margin. This is notable because the PRO A12-8870 has twice the physical cores, yet the Zen architecture's efficiency overcomes that disadvantage. The R15 single-core test was not recorded for the PRO A12-8870 in the head-to-head data, but the Athlon 240GE's standalone score of 54 provides a baseline for that test.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the multicore result repeats the pattern: Athlon 240GE scores 1627, PRO A12-8870 scores 1351, a 20.4% difference. The single-core R20 test shows the Athlon 240GE at 229 versus 190, a 20.5% lead. This nearly identical percentage across both tests suggests the performance gap is structural rather than test-specific.

Cinebench R23 confirms the trend with the largest absolute scores. The Athlon 240GE reaches 3876 in multi-core, while the PRO A12-8870 manages 3218, again a 20.4% gap. In single-core R23, the scores are 547 and 454 respectively, a 20.5% difference.

The consistency of these margins is striking. Every multi-core test shows exactly 20.4%, and every single-core test shows exactly 20.5%. This uniformity indicates that the Athlon 240GE's advantage scales identically across workloads, regardless of thread count. The PRO A12-8870's higher boost clock of 4.20 GHz and four physical cores provide no measurable benefit in these benchmarks.

The average benchmark scores tell a similar story. The Athlon 240GE averages 1121 points, placing it in the 32nd percentile of all CPUs. Its nearest rivals are the Intel Xeon D-1518 (1121, 0% delta), Intel Core i7-2860QM (1120, 0.1% delta), Intel Core i3-4150 (1119, 0.2% delta), and Intel Core i5-3550S (1118, 0.3% delta). The PRO A12-8870 averages 1107 points, in the 31st percentile, with rivals including the AMD Opteron 4280 (1107, 0% delta), AMD Athlon X4 845 (1106, 0.1% delta), AMD Opteron 3280 (1106, 0.1% delta), and Intel Core i5-4570T (1108, -0.1% delta).

Where Each One Wins

Based strictly on the recorded data, the Athlon 240GE wins every benchmark category. There are no tests in which the PRO A12-8870 outperforms it. This makes the use-case split straightforward: choose the Athlon 240GE for any workload represented by these Cinebench tests.

The Athlon 240GE's 20.4% multi-core advantage makes it the better choice for applications that utilize multiple threads, such as rendering, video encoding, or compiling. Despite having only 2 physical cores, its 4 threads combined with Zen's efficiency deliver higher throughput than the PRO A12-8870's 4 physical cores. The 20.5% single-core advantage means the Athlon 240GE also wins in lightly threaded workloads like web browsing, office applications, and legacy software that relies on one or two threads.

The PRO A12-8870's only potential advantages lie in its specifications, not its measured performance. It has a higher base clock (3.70 GHz vs 3.50 GHz) and a boost clock (4.20 GHz) that the Athlon 240GE lacks entirely. It also has more physical cores, which could theoretically benefit workloads that do not scale with SMT efficiency. However, the benchmark data shows no scenario where these specification advantages translate into a win.

For builders considering integrated graphics, the Athlon 240GE's Radeon Vega 3 paired with higher memory bandwidth (42.7 GB/s vs 38.4 GB/s) likely provides a better experience, though no direct graphics benchmarks are recorded in the database. The Athlon 240GE also offers the efficiency advantage of a 35W TDP versus 65W, which matters for small form factor builds or systems with modest cooling.

The PRO A12-8870's niche would be limited to situations where its specific feature set is required, such as compatibility with older Excavator-optimized software or a need for its particular Radeon R7 graphics implementation. The database records no benchmark where the PRO A12-8870 wins, so any performance-based decision should favor the Athlon 240GE without hesitation.