PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

A12-9800

2017

Why buy it

✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R7, while Ryzen 7 3700X needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 3700X.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,695 vs 22,430).

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +264.7% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅200% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while A12-9800 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while A12-9800 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike A12-9800.

A12-9800

2017

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R7, while Ryzen 7 3700X needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 3700X.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +264.7% higher average FPS across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅200% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,695 vs 22,430).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while A12-9800 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while A12-9800 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike A12-9800.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than A12-9800?

Yes. Ryzen 7 3700X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 264.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data, 507% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Ryzen 7 3700X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 264.7% more average FPS across 2 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 3700X is the better fit. You are getting 507% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Ryzen 7 3700X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 3700X is at an unclear MSRP at $329 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 264.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Ryzen 7 3700X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Games Benchmarks

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

A12-9800 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 3700X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	A12-9800	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	92 FPS	200 FPS
medium	92 FPS	163 FPS
high	92 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	92 FPS	156 FPS
medium	92 FPS	121 FPS
high	92 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	65 FPS	84 FPS
medium	58 FPS	71 FPS
high	45 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	44 FPS

Open A12-9800 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	A12-9800	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	92 FPS	561 FPS
medium	92 FPS	525 FPS
high	92 FPS	428 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	383 FPS
1440p
low	92 FPS	545 FPS
medium	92 FPS	471 FPS
high	92 FPS	394 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	337 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	350 FPS
medium	92 FPS	304 FPS
high	92 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	242 FPS

Open A12-9800 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	A12-9800	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	92 FPS	561 FPS
medium	92 FPS	561 FPS
high	92 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	561 FPS
1440p
low	92 FPS	561 FPS
medium	92 FPS	561 FPS
high	92 FPS	538 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	470 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	499 FPS
medium	92 FPS	394 FPS
high	92 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	275 FPS

Open A12-9800 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	A12-9800	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	92 FPS	561 FPS
medium	92 FPS	561 FPS
high	92 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	561 FPS
1440p
low	92 FPS	561 FPS
medium	92 FPS	561 FPS
high	92 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	555 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	561 FPS
medium	92 FPS	501 FPS
high	92 FPS	447 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	396 FPS

Open A12-9800 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of A12-9800 and Ryzen 7 3700X

A12-9800

The A12-9800 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,695 points. Launch price was $139.

Ryzen 7 3700X

The Ryzen 7 3700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,430 points. Launch price was $329.

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Processing Power

The A12-9800 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Ryzen 7 3700X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 3700X has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the A12-9800 versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X — a 4.7% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 3700X (base: 3.8 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The A12-9800 uses the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the A12-9800 scores 3,695 against the Ryzen 7 3700X's 22,430 — a 143.4% lead for the Ryzen 7 3700X. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A12-9800 vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X.

Feature	A12-9800	Ryzen 7 3700X
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	8 / 16+100%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz	4.4 GHz+5%
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+6%	3.6 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	32 MB
L2 Cache	2048 kB+300%	512K (per core)
Process	28 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-75%
Architecture	Bristol Ridge (2016−2019)	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark	3,695	22,430+507%
Geekbench 6 Single	635	—

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Memory & Platform

Both processors use the AM4 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR4-2400 memory speed. The Ryzen 7 3700X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 64 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (A12-9800) vs 24 (Ryzen 7 3700X) — the Ryzen 7 3700X offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B350,X370 (A12-9800) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 3700X).

Feature	A12-9800	Ryzen 7 3700X
Socket	AM4	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	DDR4-3200
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	128 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	8	24+200%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (A12-9800) / not specified (Ryzen 7 3700X). The A12-9800 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R7), while the Ryzen 7 3700X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A12-9800 targets Budget. Direct competitor: A12-9800 rivals Pentium G4600.