AMD PRO A12-9800E vs Intel Celeron G6900TE Comparison

The data is remarkably consistent in this matchup: the Intel Celeron G6900TE wins every recorded benchmark against the AMD PRO A12-9800E, but the margins are extremely narrow. The average benchmark score for the Celeron is 925, placing it at the 25th percentile of all CPUs, while the AMD PRO A12-9800E averages 910, at the 24th percentile. These are closely matched low-power desktop processors, with the Intel chip holding a slight but measurable edge across all Cinebench tests.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Celeron G6900TE is the winner in every single head-to-head benchmark recorded in the database. It claims all five victories, with the largest margin being 1.9% in the Cinebench R20 single-core test (159 vs 156). The other four wins are nearly identical in margin, coming in at 1.5% or 1.6% over the AMD part. This means the Celeron holds a consistent, if small, advantage in both single-threaded and multi-threaded workloads.

The AMD PRO A12-9800E does not win any of the recorded benchmarks, but its deficits are minimal. The closest result is in Cinebench R15 multicore, where it scores 266 against the Celeron's 270. Given that the AMD chip has four physical cores versus the Intel's two, the fact that it cannot overcome the Celeron in multi-threaded tests is significant. The AMD part's performance profile is essentially that of a processor that competes with the Celeron but falls slightly behind in every measured category.

For use-case planning, the data suggests that neither chip offers a decisive advantage in any particular workload type. The Intel part is the better choice for both single-core and multi-core tasks, but the differences are so small that real-world application performance would likely be indistinguishable. The AMD part's only theoretical advantage lies in its architecture, which we will examine next, but this does not translate into benchmark wins.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design eras. The Intel Celeron G6900TE is built on Alder Lake architecture, specifically the Alder Lake-S codename, using a 10 nm process node manufactured by Intel. It is part of the Celeron generation for Alder Lake-S and features two cores with two threads, running at a base clock of 2.40 GHz with no boost clock. Its cache configuration is 80 KB of L1 per core, 1.25 MB of L2 per core, and a shared 4 MB L3 cache. It supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and its PCIe interface is Gen 5. The integrated graphics are UHD Graphics 710.

The AMD PRO A12-9800E is based on the much older Excavator architecture, with the codename Bristol Ridge, and belongs to the A12 generation. It is manufactured on a 28 nm process node by GlobalFoundries, with 3,100 million transistors on a 250 mm² die. This is a four-core, four-thread processor with a base clock of 3.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. Its cache is simpler: 320 KB of L1 and 2 MB of L2, with no L3 cache at all. It supports only DDR4 memory in a dual-channel configuration and its PCIe interface is Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU only. Its integrated graphics are Radeon R7.

The process node difference is stark: 10 nm versus 28 nm. This explains why the Intel chip can achieve competitive performance with only two cores and a lower base clock. The AMD part relies on its higher clock speeds and extra cores to stay close. The lack of L3 cache on the AMD chip is a notable architectural disadvantage, as the Intel part has a dedicated 4 MB shared L3 cache. Additionally, the Intel chip supports DDR5 memory, while the AMD chip is restricted to DDR4, although both use dual-channel configurations.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multicore test shows the Celeron G6900TE scoring 270 versus the PRO A12-9800E's 266, a 1.5% advantage for Intel. This is the smallest absolute difference in the dataset (4 points). Moving to Cinebench R20 multicore, the Intel chip scores 1128 against 1111, again a 1.5% lead. The pattern holds in Cinebench R23 multicore, where the Celeron scores 2687 versus 2646, a 1.5% margin. The Intel chip's multi-core advantage is consistent at 1.5% across all three Cinebench versions, despite having half the cores of the AMD part.

Single-core results show a similar story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Celeron G6900TE scores 159, while the AMD part scores 156, giving Intel a 1.9% lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the scores are 379 and 373 respectively, a 1.6% margin for Intel. The single-core advantage is slightly larger than the multi-core margin in R20, but the overall picture is one of near-parity with a consistent Intel edge.

Looking at the nearest rivals for context, the Celeron G6900TE's average score of 925 puts it 0.2% behind the Intel Core i3-4350T (926) and the Intel Core i5-4288U (927), and 0.3% behind the Intel Core i7-870 (928). It is 0.4% ahead of the AMD FX-4320 (921). The AMD PRO A12-9800E's average of 910 puts it 0.2% ahead of the AMD Ryzen 3 3250U, the Intel Core i3-10110Y, and the Intel Core i3-4330T (all at 908), and 0.3% behind the Intel Xeon W3540 (913). These rival placements show both chips sitting in a very crowded performance band where individual scores are nearly interchangeable.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every fundamental specification. The Intel Celeron G6900TE has 2 cores and 2 threads, while the AMD PRO A12-9800E has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Intel chip runs at a base clock of 2.40 GHz with no boost, while the AMD chip has a base clock of 3.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. The process nodes are 10 nm for Intel and 28 nm for AMD.

The cache hierarchies are completely different. The Intel part has 80 KB of L1 per core and 1.25 MB of L2 per core, plus a 4 MB shared L3 cache. The AMD part has 320 KB of L1 and 2 MB of L2, with no L3 cache. The Intel part uses Socket 1700, while the AMD part uses Socket AM4. Memory support differs: the Intel chip supports both DDR4 and DDR5, while the AMD chip supports only DDR4. PCIe support is Gen 5 on Intel versus Gen 3 with 8 lanes on AMD.

The integrated graphics differ as well: UHD Graphics 710 on the Intel side versus Radeon R7 on the AMD side. The AMD chip has documented transistor and die size figures (3,100 million and 250 mm² respectively), while these are not recorded for the Intel chip. The release dates are also far apart, with the Intel chip released in 2022 and the AMD chip in 2017. Both are listed as Active production status, both are Desktop market segment parts, both use dual-channel memory buses, both lack ECC support, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The part numbers are SRL68 for Intel and AD980BAHM44AB for AMD.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Celeron G6900TE has an average benchmark score of 925, which is higher than the AMD PRO A12-9800E's 910. This places the Intel chip at the 25th percentile of all CPUs, one percentile point above the AMD chip.

Q: How much faster is the Intel Celeron G6900TE in single-core tests?

A: The Intel chip leads by 1.9% in Cinebench R20 single-core (159 vs 156) and by 1.6% in Cinebench R23 single-core (379 vs 373). These are the largest and second-largest margins in the head-to-head comparison.

Q: Does the AMD PRO A12-9800E win any benchmark?

A: No. The recorded data shows the AMD chip losing all five head-to-head benchmarks to the Intel Celeron G6900TE, with zero wins recorded. Its closest result is a 1.5% deficit in Cinebench R15 multicore.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The Intel Celeron G6900TE has 2 cores and 2 threads. The AMD PRO A12-9800E has 4 cores and 4 threads. Despite having twice the core count, the AMD chip does not outperform the Intel chip in any recorded multi-core benchmark.

Q: What memory types does each processor support?

A: The Intel Celeron G6900TE supports both DDR4 and DDR5 memory, while the AMD PRO A12-9800E supports only DDR4. Both processors use dual-channel memory configurations.

Q: What is the process node for each chip?

A: The Intel Celeron G6900TE is manufactured on a 10 nm process node by Intel. The AMD PRO A12-9800E is manufactured on a 28 nm process node by GlobalFoundries. This represents a significant manufacturing technology gap between the two.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the Intel Celeron G6900TE is the better processor in this matchup, winning all five recorded tests. Its average score of 925 is 15 points higher than the AMD PRO A12-9800E's 910, and it holds a 1.5% to 1.9% advantage across every Cinebench workload. The Intel chip achieves this with only two cores and no boost clock, relying on its modern 10 nm Alder Lake architecture and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD chip's four cores and 3.80 GHz boost clock cannot overcome its older 28 nm Excavator architecture and lack of L3 cache.

For buyers choosing between these two, the Intel Celeron G6900TE is the default recommendation based on performance data alone. It wins in both single-core and multi-core scenarios, supports newer DDR5 memory, and has Gen 5 PCIe. The AMD PRO A12-9800E is not without merit, as its margins of defeat are small and its four cores might theoretically offer advantages in workloads not covered by these Cinebench tests, but the recorded data shows no such advantage. The AMD chip's 3,100 million transistors and 250 mm² die size are documented, but these physical attributes do not translate into benchmark victories.

The nearest rival data confirms that both chips are in the same performance class. The Intel chip sits within 0.3% of several older Intel Core i3, i5, and i7 parts, while the AMD chip is within 0.3% of a mix of Ryzen and Core processors. Neither chip is a performance outlier; they are simply close competitors at the low end of the desktop CPU spectrum. Given the consistent Intel wins, the Celeron G6900TE is the safer choice. The PRO A12-9800E is a viable alternative only if platform compatibility or integrated graphics (Radeon R7 versus UHD Graphics 710) are decisive factors, as the performance gap is too small to be a primary differentiator.