FX-6120
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Pentium Gold G5500
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Performance Spectrum - CPU
About PassMark
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.
FX-6120
2012Why buy it
- ✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).
Trade-offs
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $188 MSRP, while Pentium Gold G5500 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌75.9% higher power demand at 95W vs 54W.
Pentium Gold G5500
2018Why buy it
- ✅Draws 54W instead of 95W, a 41W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (3,846 vs 3,853).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).
FX-6120
2012Pentium Gold G5500
2018Why buy it
- ✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).
Why buy it
- ✅Draws 54W instead of 95W, a 41W reduction.
Trade-offs
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $188 MSRP, while Pentium Gold G5500 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌75.9% higher power demand at 95W vs 54W.
Trade-offs
- ❌Lower PassMark (3,846 vs 3,853).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).
Quick Answers
So, is FX-6120 better than Pentium Gold G5500?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Games Benchmarks
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.
Path of Exile 2
| Preset | FX-6120 | Pentium Gold G5500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 87 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 94 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 78 FPS | 73 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 65 FPS | 74 FPS |
| medium | 57 FPS | 61 FPS |
| high | 45 FPS | 47 FPS |
| ultra | 36 FPS | 36 FPS |
Counter-Strike 2
| Preset | FX-6120 | Pentium Gold G5500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 84 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 88 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 65 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 45 FPS |
League of Legends
| Preset | FX-6120 | Pentium Gold G5500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
Valorant
| Preset | FX-6120 | Pentium Gold G5500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of FX-6120 and Pentium Gold G5500
FX-6120
FX-6120
The FX-6120 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 October 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Zambezi (2011−2012) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: AM3+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,853 points. Launch price was $69.
Pentium Gold G5500
Pentium Gold G5500
The Pentium Gold G5500 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 2 April 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 54 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,846 points. Launch price was $75.
Processing Power
The FX-6120 packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Pentium Gold G5500 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the FX-6120 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the FX-6120 versus 3.8 GHz on the Pentium Gold G5500 — a 10% clock advantage for the FX-6120 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The FX-6120 uses the Zambezi (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium Gold G5500 uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the FX-6120 scores 3,853 against the Pentium Gold G5500's 3,846 — a 0.2% lead for the FX-6120. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the FX-6120 vs 4 MB (total) on the Pentium Gold G5500.
| Feature | FX-6120 | Pentium Gold G5500 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 6 / 6+200% | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 4.2 GHz+11% | 3.8 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.6 GHz | 3.8 GHz+6% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total)+100% | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 6 MB+2300% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 14 nm-56% |
| Architecture | Zambezi (2011−2012) | Coffee Lake (2017−2019) |
| PassMark | 3,853 | 3,846 |
Memory & Platform
The FX-6120 uses the AM3+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Gold G5500 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | FX-6120 | Pentium Gold G5500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3+ | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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