AMD Athlon Silver 7120U vs AMD PRO A8-8650B Comparison

The AMD PRO A8-8650B and AMD Athlon Silver 7120U represent two very different approaches to low-end computing, separated by seven years of architectural evolution. The PRO A8-8650B is a 2015 desktop part built on the Steamroller architecture, while the Athlon Silver 7120U is a 2022 mobile chip using Zen 2. The benchmark data shows a clear split: the older desktop processor dominates multi-threaded workloads, while the newer mobile processor wins decisively in single-threaded tests and Geekbench. With the PRO A8-8650B winning 2 of the 5 head-to-head benchmarks and the Athlon Silver 7120U taking 3, the choice depends entirely on whether the workload favors parallel throughput or modern per-core efficiency.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD PRO A8-8650B claims its victories in multi-core rendering tests, leveraging its 4 cores and 4 threads to outpace the 2-core, 2-thread Athlon Silver 7120U. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the PRO A8-8650B scores 275 versus 250 for the Athlon Silver 7120U, a 10% advantage. The gap widens dramatically in Cinebench R23 multicore, where the PRO A8-8650B posts 2734 points against 1673 for the Athlon Silver 7120U, a 63.4% lead. These results indicate that sustained multi-threaded workloads—such as video encoding, 3D rendering, or compiling—favor the older part’s quad-core design, despite its dated architecture.

The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U wins the single-core contests and the Geekbench suite. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Athlon Silver 7120U scores 886 versus 386 for the PRO A8-8650B, a 56.4% advantage in the other direction. The Geekbench single-core test shows a similar story: 892 for the Athlon Silver 7120U against 441 for the PRO A8-8650B, a 50.6% lead. Interestingly, the Athlon Silver 7120U also wins Geekbench multicore with 1457 versus 1060, a 27.2% margin, despite having half the physical cores. This suggests that the Zen 2 architecture’s per-core efficiency and higher memory bandwidth (88.0 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s) allow it to overcome its core-count disadvantage in certain multi-threaded workloads.

The percentile rankings reflect this mixed picture. The PRO A8-8650B sits at the 24th percentile of all CPUs, while the Athlon Silver 7120U sits at the 23rd percentile. Their average benchmark scores are nearly identical: 887 for the PRO A8-8650B and 881 for the Athlon Silver 7120U. The PRO A8-8650B ties with the Intel Pentium G4560T at an average score of 887, while the Athlon Silver 7120U matches the Intel Core i3-1000NG4 and AMD Phenom II X6 1035T at 881. This near-parity in overall standing means neither chip offers a blanket superiority—instead, each wins in distinct use-case categories.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different foundations. The AMD PRO A8-8650B uses the Steamroller architecture, codenamed Godaveri, on a 28 nm process from GlobalFoundries. It has 4 cores and 4 threads, with 256 KB of L1 cache and 4 MB of L2 cache, but no L3 cache. The die size is 245 mm² with 2,411 million transistors. It supports dual-channel DDR3 memory with a bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The integrated graphics is Radeon R7. The chip uses AMD Socket FM2+, has a 65 W TDP, and offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. It was released on 2015-09-28 and is now end-of-life.

The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U belongs to the 7000 series and uses the Zen 2 architecture, codenamed Mendocino, on a 6 nm process from TSMC. It has 2 cores and 2 threads, with 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 cache per core, plus 2 MB of shared L3 cache. The die size is 100 mm². It supports dual-channel LPDDR5 memory with a bandwidth of 88.0 GB/s—more than 2.5 times the bandwidth of the PRO A8-8650B. The integrated graphics is Radeon 610M. The chip uses AMD Socket FT6, has a 15 W TDP, and offers PCIe Gen 3 with 4 lanes from the CPU. It was released on 2022-09-19 and remains active.

The transistor count and L3 cache presence are notable differences. The PRO A8-8650B has no L3 cache, relying entirely on its 4 MB of L2, whereas the Athlon Silver 7120U includes 2 MB of shared L3 alongside per-core L2. The process node difference—28 nm versus 6 nm—explains the massive TDP gap: 65 W for the desktop part versus 15 W for the mobile part. The memory technology also diverges sharply: DDR3 versus LPDDR5, which contributes to the bandwidth disparity. Both chips lack ECC memory support and have locked multipliers. The market segments are also opposite: Desktop for the PRO A8-8650B, Mobile for the Athlon Silver 7120U.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear split decision. The AMD PRO A8-8650B is the choice for multi-threaded rendering workloads where core count matters more than per-core speed. Its 63.4% lead in Cinebench R23 multicore and 10% lead in Cinebench R15 multicore make it the stronger option for tasks that scale across cores, such as batch rendering or video transcoding. Users with existing FM2+ platforms or those prioritizing raw parallel throughput should look here.

The AMD Athlon Silver 7120U is the pick for single-threaded performance and general responsiveness. Its 50.6% advantage in Geekbench single-core and 56.4% lead in Cinebench R23 single-core indicate much faster per-core execution, which translates to snappier application launches and better performance in lightly threaded software. Its win in Geekbench multicore (1457 versus 1060, a 27.2% margin) also suggests that modern efficiency can overcome a core deficit in certain mixed workloads. The 15 W TDP and LPDDR5 memory support make it the obvious choice for mobile or low-power systems.

Neither chip is a clear overall winner. Their average benchmark scores are separated by just 6 points (887 versus 881), and their percentile rankings sit within 1 point of each other. The PRO A8-8650B’s nearest rival is the Intel Pentium G4560T with an identical average score of 887, while the Athlon Silver 7120U’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-1000NG4 and AMD Phenom II X6 1035T at 881. The decision hinges on whether the workload is multi-threaded (choose the PRO A8-8650B) or single-threaded and efficiency-sensitive (choose the Athlon Silver 7120U).

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The AMD PRO A8-8650B scores 2734 points, which is 63.4% higher than the Athlon Silver 7120U’s 1673 points.

Q: How much faster is the Athlon Silver 7120U in single-core tests?

A: In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Athlon Silver 7120U scores 886 versus 386 for the PRO A8-8650B, a 56.4% advantage. In Geekbench single-core, it scores 892 versus 441, a 50.6% lead.

Q: Why does the Athlon Silver 7120U win Geekbench multicore despite having fewer cores?

A: The Athlon Silver 7120U has 2 cores and 2 threads, while the PRO A8-8650B has 4 cores and 4 threads. However, the Athlon Silver 7120U scores 1457 versus 1060 in Geekbench multicore, a 27.2% margin. This is attributable to its Zen 2 architecture and higher memory bandwidth of 88.0 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s.

Q: What are the TDP ratings for each chip?

A: The AMD PRO A8-8650B has a TDP of 65 W, while the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U has a TDP of 15 W.

Q: Which processor has a larger cache configuration?

A: The PRO A8-8650B has 256 KB of L1 and 4 MB of L2 with no L3. The Athlon Silver 7120U has 64 KB L1 per core, 512 KB L2 per core, and 2 MB of shared L3.

Q: How do their overall benchmark averages compare?

A: The PRO A8-8650B has an average benchmark score of 887, while the Athlon Silver 7120U has an average of 881, a difference of less than 1%.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the AMD PRO A8-8650B comes in Cinebench R23 multicore, where it scores 2734 against the Athlon Silver 7120U’s 1673. This 63.4% delta is the single biggest gap in either direction across all tests. The older chip’s four physical cores provide a substantial advantage in this heavily parallel workload. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the PRO A8-8650B wins again, scoring 275 versus 250, a more modest 10% margin. These two victories demonstrate that the Steamroller architecture can still deliver competitive multi-threaded performance when core count is the limiting factor.

The Athlon Silver 7120U counters with three wins, led by its single-core performance. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 886 versus 386, a 56.4% advantage. The Geekbench single-core test shows a 50.6% lead, with 892 points against 441. The most surprising result is Geekbench multicore, where the Athlon Silver 7120U scores 1457 versus 1060, a 27.2% win despite having only half the cores. This indicates that the Zen 2 architecture’s instruction-level efficiency and the LPDDR5 memory bandwidth of 88.0 GB/s can overcome the core deficit in certain multi-threaded scenarios.

The benchmark data reveals a pattern: the PRO A8-8650B excels in Cinebench’s rendering workloads that scale with core count, while the Athlon Silver 7120U dominates in Geekbench tests that reward per-core speed and memory performance. The Cinebench R23 results are particularly telling—the PRO A8-8650B wins multicore by 63.4%, but loses single-core by 56.4%, showing an almost perfect inverse relationship. The Geekbench multicore result disrupts this pattern, suggesting that the Athlon Silver 7120U’s modern architecture provides broader benefits beyond just single-threaded speed. With 2 wins for the PRO A8-8650B and 3 for the Athlon Silver 7120U, the head-to-head record is close, but the magnitude of the PRO A8-8650B’s Cinebench R23 multicore victory is the most decisive outcome in the entire comparison.