Page Index

FX-6120 vs Pentium Gold G5600

CPUCPUGPUGPU
AMD

FX-6120

6 Cores6 Thrd95 WWMax: 4.2 GHz2012

Popular choices:

•••••••••
VS
Intel

Pentium Gold G5600

2 Cores4 Thrd54 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2018

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

FX-6120
6 / 6
3,853
+0.2%
brand logoAthlon II X4 631
brand logoFX-7600P
brand logoFX-4300
brand logoAthlon X4 860K
brand logoRyzen 7 7735HS
brand logoRyzen AI Max 390
brand logoRyzen 9 9955HX3D
brand logoRyzen Threadripper 3990X
Pentium Gold G5600
2 / 4
3,844
0.0%
brand logoCore i5-4250U
brand logoCore i3-7020U
brand logoPentium G4560T
brand logoCore i7-6600U
brand logoCore i5-12600HE
brand logoCore i9-13900HX
brand logoXeon w7-3465X
brand logoXeon w9-3575X

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

2012

Why buy it

  • ✅Better for gaming: +3.2% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

  • ❌Launch MSRP is still $188 MSRP, while Pentium Gold G5600 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • ❌75.9% higher power demand at 95W vs 54W.
  • ❌No integrated graphics, while Pentium Gold G5600 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Pentium Gold G5600

2018

Why buy it

  • ✅Draws 54W instead of 95W, a 41W reduction.
  • ✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
  • ✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel UHD Graphics 630, while FX-6120 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

  • ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than FX-6120 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • ❌Lower PassMark (3,844 vs 3,853).
  • ❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is FX-6120 better than Pentium Gold G5600?
Yes. FX-6120 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 3.2% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.2% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, FX-6120 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 3.2% more average FPS across 3 shared CPU game tests.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, FX-6120 is the better fit. You are getting 0.2% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 6 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
FX-6120 is the smarter buy today. FX-6120 is at an unclear MSRP at $188 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 3.2% average FPS lead across 3 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (20.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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?
Pentium Gold G5600 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2012). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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.

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

PresetFX-6120Pentium Gold G5600
1080p
low96 FPS96 FPS
medium96 FPS96 FPS
high96 FPS96 FPS
ultra96 FPS87 FPS
1440p
low96 FPS96 FPS
medium96 FPS96 FPS
high94 FPS96 FPS
ultra78 FPS73 FPS
4K
low65 FPS74 FPS
medium57 FPS61 FPS
high45 FPS47 FPS
ultra36 FPS36 FPS
Open FX-6120Open Pentium Gold G5600
Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

PresetFX-6120Pentium Gold G5600
1080p
low96 FPS96 FPS
medium96 FPS96 FPS
high96 FPS96 FPS
ultra96 FPS96 FPS
1440p
low96 FPS96 FPS
medium96 FPS96 FPS
high96 FPS96 FPS
ultra96 FPS84 FPS
4K
low96 FPS96 FPS
medium96 FPS88 FPS
high96 FPS65 FPS
ultra96 FPS45 FPS
Open FX-6120Open Pentium Gold G5600
League of Legends

League of Legends

PresetFX-6120Pentium Gold G5600
1080p
low96 FPS96 FPS
medium96 FPS96 FPS
high96 FPS96 FPS
ultra96 FPS96 FPS
1440p
low96 FPS96 FPS
medium96 FPS96 FPS
high96 FPS96 FPS
ultra96 FPS96 FPS
4K
low96 FPS96 FPS
medium96 FPS96 FPS
high96 FPS96 FPS
ultra96 FPS96 FPS
Open FX-6120Open Pentium Gold G5600
Valorant

Valorant

PresetFX-6120Pentium Gold G5600
1080p
low96 FPS96 FPS
medium96 FPS96 FPS
high96 FPS96 FPS
ultra96 FPS96 FPS
1440p
low96 FPS96 FPS
medium96 FPS96 FPS
high96 FPS96 FPS
ultra96 FPS96 FPS
4K
low96 FPS96 FPS
medium96 FPS96 FPS
high96 FPS96 FPS
ultra96 FPS96 FPS
Open FX-6120Open Pentium Gold G5600
Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of FX-6120 and Pentium Gold G5600

AMD

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.

Intel

Pentium Gold G5600

The Pentium Gold G5600 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 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 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: 3,844 points. Launch price was $93.

⚡

Processing Power

The FX-6120 packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Pentium Gold G5600 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the FX-6120 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the FX-6120 versus 3.9 GHz on the Pentium Gold G5600 — a 7.4% clock advantage for the FX-6120 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 3.9 GHz). The FX-6120 uses the Zambezi (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium Gold G5600 uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the FX-6120 scores 3,853 against the Pentium Gold G5600's 3,844 — 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 G5600.

FeatureFX-6120Pentium Gold G5600
Cores / Threads
6 / 6+200%
2 / 4
Boost Clock
4.2 GHz+8%
3.9 GHz
Base Clock
3.6 GHz
3.9 GHz+8%
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
3,844
Cinebench R23 Multi
—
2,200
Geekbench 6 Single
—
837
🧠

Memory & Platform

The FX-6120 uses the AM3+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Gold G5600 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureFX-6120Pentium Gold G5600
Socket
AM3+
LGA1151
PCIe Generation
PCIe 2.0
PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed
—
DDR4 2400 MHz
Max RAM Capacity
—
64 GB
RAM Channels
—
2
ECC Support
—
Yes
PCIe Lanes
—
16
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (FX-6120) / true (Pentium Gold G5600). The Pentium Gold G5600 includes integrated graphics (Intel UHD Graphics 630), while the FX-6120 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Pentium Gold G5600 targets Desktop.

FeatureFX-6120Pentium Gold G5600
Integrated GPU
—
Yes
IGPU Model
—
Intel UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked
—
No
AVX-512
—
No
Virtualization
—
true
Target Use
—
Desktop