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 5700X needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 5700X.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 5700X across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,695 vs 26,609).

Ryzen 7 5700X

2022

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +189.7% 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 $299 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 5700X

2022

Why buy it

✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R7, while Ryzen 7 5700X needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 5700X.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +189.7% 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 5700X across 2 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,695 vs 26,609).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $299 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 5700X better than A12-9800?

Yes. Ryzen 7 5700X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 189.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data, 620.1% 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 5700X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 189.7% 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 5700X is the better fit. You are getting 620.1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 5700X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 5700X is at an unclear MSRP at $299 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 189.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (89.0 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 5700X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 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 5700X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	A12-9800	Ryzen 7 5700X
1080p
low	92 FPS	156 FPS
medium	92 FPS	129 FPS
high	92 FPS	115 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	94 FPS
1440p
low	92 FPS	137 FPS
medium	92 FPS	111 FPS
high	92 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	76 FPS	78 FPS
4K
low	65 FPS	77 FPS
medium	58 FPS	67 FPS
high	45 FPS	55 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	43 FPS

Open A12-9800 Open Ryzen 7 5700X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	A12-9800	Ryzen 7 5700X
1080p
low	92 FPS	649 FPS
medium	92 FPS	549 FPS
high	92 FPS	448 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	404 FPS
1440p
low	92 FPS	552 FPS
medium	92 FPS	484 FPS
high	92 FPS	407 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	350 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	343 FPS
medium	92 FPS	303 FPS
high	92 FPS	277 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	245 FPS

Open A12-9800 Open Ryzen 7 5700X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	A12-9800	Ryzen 7 5700X
1080p
low	92 FPS	665 FPS
medium	92 FPS	557 FPS
high	92 FPS	509 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	439 FPS
1440p
low	92 FPS	554 FPS
medium	92 FPS	458 FPS
high	92 FPS	419 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	358 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	402 FPS
medium	92 FPS	322 FPS
high	92 FPS	292 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	229 FPS

Open A12-9800 Open Ryzen 7 5700X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	A12-9800	Ryzen 7 5700X
1080p
low	92 FPS	665 FPS
medium	92 FPS	665 FPS
high	92 FPS	665 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	665 FPS
1440p
low	92 FPS	665 FPS
medium	92 FPS	665 FPS
high	92 FPS	607 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	533 FPS
4K
low	92 FPS	545 FPS
medium	92 FPS	488 FPS
high	92 FPS	439 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	385 FPS

Open A12-9800 Open Ryzen 7 5700X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of A12-9800 and Ryzen 7 5700X

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 5700X

The Ryzen 7 5700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 4 April 2022 (3 years ago). It is based on the Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4.6 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-3200. Passmark benchmark score: 26,609 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The A12-9800 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Ryzen 7 5700X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 5700X has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the A12-9800 versus 4.6 GHz on the Ryzen 7 5700X — a 9.1% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 5700X (base: 3.8 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The A12-9800 uses the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Ryzen 7 5700X uses Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022) (7 nm). In PassMark, the A12-9800 scores 3,695 against the Ryzen 7 5700X's 26,609 — a 151.2% lead for the Ryzen 7 5700X. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 635 vs 2,116, a 107.7% lead for the Ryzen 7 5700X that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A12-9800 vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 7 5700X.

Feature	A12-9800	Ryzen 7 5700X
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	8 / 16+100%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz	4.6 GHz+10%
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+12%	3.4 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	32 MB (total)
L2 Cache	2048 kB+300%	512K (per core)
Process	28 nm	7 nm-75%
Architecture	Bristol Ridge (2016−2019)	Vermeer (Zen 3) (2020−2022)
PassMark	3,695	26,609+620%
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	14,000
Geekbench 6 Single	635	2,116+233%
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	9,715

🧠

Memory & Platform

Both processors use the AM4 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR4-2400 memory speed. The Ryzen 7 5700X 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 5700X) — the Ryzen 7 5700X offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B350,X370 (A12-9800) and A320,B350,X370,B450,X470,B550,X570 (Ryzen 7 5700X).

Feature	A12-9800	Ryzen 7 5700X
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

Only the Ryzen 7 5700X has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Both support AMD-V virtualization. The A12-9800 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R7), while the Ryzen 7 5700X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A12-9800 targets Budget, Ryzen 7 5700X targets Gaming. Direct competitor: A12-9800 rivals Pentium G4600; Ryzen 7 5700X rivals Core i7-11700K.