AMD Athlon X4 845 vs AMD PRO A12-9800 Comparison

The AMD Athlon X4 845 and AMD PRO A12-9800 are two quad-core Excavator parts from different eras of AMD’s desktop lineup, separated by socket generation and memory type. Despite the PRO A12-9800’s higher clocks and DDR4 support, the benchmark data shows that the older Athlon X4 845 holds a razor-thin edge across every tested workload, making this a fascinating study in how architectural parity can negate clock-speed advantages.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are remarkably consistent, with the AMD Athlon X4 845 winning all five comparative tests, though by margins so small they border on statistical noise. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Athlon X4 845 scores 324 against the PRO A12-9800’s 323, a 0.3% lead. That gap narrows to 0.2% in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the Athlon posts 1350 versus 1347. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R23 multi-core: 3215 for the Athlon against 3208 for the PRO A12-9800, again a 0.2% difference.

Single-core performance is a dead heat. Both chips register exactly 190 in Cinebench R20 single-core and 453 in Cinebench R23 single-core, with a 0% delta in each case. This is notable because the PRO A12-9800 runs at a 3.80 GHz base clock and 4.20 GHz boost, while the Athlon X4 845 sits at 3.50 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost. The data suggests that the PRO A12-9800’s 300 MHz clock advantage in both base and boost does not translate into any measurable single-threaded performance gain in these tests.

Looking at average benchmark scores, the two are effectively tied as well. The Athlon X4 845 carries an average score of 1106, while the PRO A12-9800 sits at 1104, a 0.2% difference. In the nearest rival lists, the Athlon X4 845 is compared to the AMD Opteron 3280 (1106, 0% delta) and the AMD Opteron 4280 (1107, -0.1%), while the PRO A12-9800’s closest competitors include the Intel Xeon E5-2603 v3 (1103, 0.1%) and Intel Pentium Gold G6605 (1103, 0.1%). Both chips land at the 31st percentile among all CPUs, confirming their placement as entry-level desktop processors with similar overall capability.

The consistency of the results is striking. Across five head-to-head tests, the largest margin of victory is just 0.3%. The Athlon X4 845 never wins by more than a fraction of a percent, yet it wins every time. This suggests that any real-world performance difference between the two is negligible, and the PRO A12-9800’s faster clocks are effectively neutralized by other factors.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Athlon X4 845 wins in every benchmark category measured, but the margins are so small that neither chip can be said to dominate in a meaningful sense. In multi-core workloads, the Athlon holds a consistent 0.2-0.3% edge across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23. This indicates that for rendering or heavily threaded tasks, the Athlon X4 845 is marginally ahead, though the difference would be imperceptible in practice.

Single-core performance is a pure tie. Both chips produce identical scores in both Cinebench R20 and R23 single-core tests. For everyday tasks like web browsing, office applications, or lightly threaded games, the data shows no advantage for either processor. The PRO A12-9800’s higher boost clock of 4.20 GHz does not yield any single-core benchmark wins.

The PRO A12-9800 does not win any of the five head-to-head comparisons, but it offers capabilities the Athlon X4 845 lacks entirely. The PRO A12-9800 includes integrated Radeon R7 graphics, while the Athlon X4 845 has no integrated graphics at all. For a system without a discrete GPU, the PRO A12-9800 is the only viable option between the two. Additionally, the PRO A12-9800 supports DDR4 memory with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, versus the Athlon’s DDR3 at 34.1 GB/s. While this memory bandwidth advantage does not show up in CPU benchmark scores, it could benefit integrated graphics performance or memory-sensitive workloads.

The socket situation also creates a de facto use-case split. The Athlon X4 845 uses AMD Socket FM2+, while the PRO A12-9800 uses AMD Socket AM4. This means they are not interchangeable in any given motherboard, so platform availability may dictate choice regardless of benchmark results.

Architecture Differences

Both processors share the same fundamental Excavator architecture and are built on the same 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. Both use 3,100 million transistors on a 250 mm² die, and both have identical cache configurations: 320 KB of L1 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache, with no L3 cache present. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and both provide PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only).

The key architectural difference lies in the platform and memory interface. The Athlon X4 845 is based on the Carrizo codename and uses Socket FM2+, supporting dual-channel DDR3 with 34.1 GB/s bandwidth. The PRO A12-9800 is based on Bristol Ridge and uses Socket AM4, supporting dual-channel DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. This represents a 9.4 GB/s increase in theoretical memory bandwidth for the PRO A12-9800, though it does not produce a benchmark advantage in the CPU tests shown.

Clock speeds differ significantly. The PRO A12-9800 runs at 3.80 GHz base and 4.20 GHz boost, while the Athlon X4 845 runs at 3.50 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost. The PRO A12-9800 also has a locked multiplier, whereas the Athlon X4 845 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Despite this, the benchmark data shows no performance benefit from the PRO A12-9800’s higher clocks.

The integrated graphics situation is a major differentiator. The PRO A12-9800 includes a Radeon R7 iGPU, while the Athlon X4 845 has no integrated graphics. This is the single largest functional difference between the two chips. The PRO A12-9800 is also listed as Active in production status, while the Athlon X4 845 is End-of-life, and the PRO A12-9800 was released in October 2016, eight months after the Athlon’s February 2016 debut.

Both chips have four cores and four threads, with no simultaneous multithreading. Both are desktop parts with a 65 W TDP. Neither has any L3 cache or 3D V-Cache. The part numbers are AD845XACI43KA for the Athlon and AD980BAUM44AB for the PRO A12-9800.

The Verdict

The benchmark data presents a clear picture: the AMD Athlon X4 845 is marginally faster than the AMD PRO A12-9800 in every CPU benchmark tested, but the differences are so small that they are effectively performance equivalents. The Athlon wins by 0.3% in Cinebench R15 multi-core, 0.2% in both Cinebench R20 and R23 multi-core, and ties in both single-core tests. The average benchmark scores differ by only 0.2% in the Athlon’s favor.

The PRO A12-9800 cannot be recommended based on CPU performance alone, as it loses every head-to-head comparison. However, the data shows that its value lies in features outside the CPU benchmarks. The integrated Radeon R7 graphics make it the only option for a system without a discrete GPU. The DDR4 memory support and higher memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s provide a more modern platform foundation, even if CPU scores do not reflect it.

For users building on Socket AM4 with DDR4 memory, the PRO A12-9800 is the logical choice, as the Athlon X4 845 simply will not fit. For users with an existing FM2+ motherboard and DDR3 memory, the Athlon X4 845 offers essentially identical CPU performance with the added benefit of an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. The data does not support choosing the PRO A12-9800 for raw compute performance, but it does support choosing it for its integrated graphics and newer memory standard.

The production status is also a factor: the Athlon X4 845 is end-of-life, while the PRO A12-9800 is active. For new system builds, the PRO A12-9800 has a practical availability advantage. The verdict from the data is straightforward: pick the Athlon X4 845 for CPU-centric workloads on an FM2+ platform, or pick the PRO A12-9800 for its iGPU and DDR4 support on AM4. Neither chip offers a meaningful performance edge over the other.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD PRO A12-9800 has a 4.20 GHz boost clock, while the AMD Athlon X4 845 has a 3.80 GHz boost clock.

Q: Do both processors have the same number of cores and threads?

A: Yes, both the AMD Athlon X4 845 and AMD PRO A12-9800 have 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: Which CPU supports DDR4 memory?

A: The AMD PRO A12-9800 supports DDR4 with dual-channel memory and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The AMD Athlon X4 845 supports DDR3 with dual-channel memory and 34.1 GB/s bandwidth.

Q: Does the AMD Athlon X4 845 have integrated graphics?

A: No, the AMD Athlon X4 845 has no integrated graphics. The AMD PRO A12-9800 includes a Radeon R7 integrated GPU.

Q: What is the difference in Cinebench R23 multi-core scores?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 845 scores 3215, while the AMD PRO A12-9800 scores 3208, giving the Athlon a 0.2% lead.

Q: Are both processors built on the same manufacturing process?

A: Yes, both the AMD Athlon X4 845 and AMD PRO A12-9800 are built on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with 3,100 million transistors on a 250 mm² die.