FX-6120 vs Pentium Gold G6405

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: +3.5% higher average FPS across 4 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 G6405 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌533.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 15W.

Pentium Gold G6405

2021

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 95W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than FX-6120 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,817 vs 3,853).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

FX-6120

2012

Pentium Gold G6405

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.5% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 95W, a 80W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $188 MSRP, while Pentium Gold G6405 mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌533.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 15W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than FX-6120 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,817 vs 3,853).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is FX-6120 better than Pentium Gold G6405?

Yes. FX-6120 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 3.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.9% 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 3.5% more average FPS across 4 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 0.9% 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 $188 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 3.5% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (20.5 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper. That said, if you already own a compatible LGA1200 + DDR4 setup, Pentium Gold G6405 can still make sense as a platform-matched option because it avoids a motherboard and RAM swap.

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

Pentium Gold G6405 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 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.

FX-6120 Benchmark Check

Pentium Gold G6405 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	FX-6120	Pentium Gold G6405
1080p
low	96 FPS	95 FPS
medium	96 FPS	95 FPS
high	96 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	86 FPS
1440p
low	96 FPS	95 FPS
medium	96 FPS	95 FPS
high	94 FPS	89 FPS
ultra	78 FPS	70 FPS
4K
low	65 FPS	71 FPS
medium	57 FPS	58 FPS
high	45 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	35 FPS

Open FX-6120 Open Pentium Gold G6405

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	FX-6120	Pentium Gold G6405
1080p
low	96 FPS	95 FPS
medium	96 FPS	95 FPS
high	96 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	96 FPS	95 FPS
medium	96 FPS	95 FPS
high	96 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	91 FPS
4K
low	96 FPS	95 FPS
medium	96 FPS	88 FPS
high	96 FPS	67 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	52 FPS

Open FX-6120 Open Pentium Gold G6405

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	FX-6120	Pentium Gold G6405
1080p
low	96 FPS	95 FPS
medium	96 FPS	95 FPS
high	96 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	96 FPS	95 FPS
medium	96 FPS	95 FPS
high	96 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	95 FPS
4K
low	96 FPS	95 FPS
medium	96 FPS	95 FPS
high	96 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	95 FPS

Open FX-6120 Open Pentium Gold G6405

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	FX-6120	Pentium Gold G6405
1080p
low	96 FPS	95 FPS
medium	96 FPS	95 FPS
high	96 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	95 FPS
1440p
low	96 FPS	95 FPS
medium	96 FPS	95 FPS
high	96 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	95 FPS
4K
low	96 FPS	95 FPS
medium	96 FPS	95 FPS
high	96 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	96 FPS	95 FPS

Open FX-6120 Open Pentium Gold G6405

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of FX-6120 and Pentium Gold G6405

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 G6405

The Pentium Gold G6405 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 March 2021 (4 years ago). It is based on the Comet Lake-R (2021) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 4.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1200. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2666. Passmark benchmark score: 3,817 points. Launch price was $64.

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Processing Power

The FX-6120 packs 6 cores / 6 threads, while the Pentium Gold G6405 offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the FX-6120 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the FX-6120 versus 4.1 GHz on the Pentium Gold G6405 — a 2.4% clock advantage for the FX-6120 (base: 3.6 GHz vs 4.1 GHz). The FX-6120 uses the Zambezi (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Pentium Gold G6405 uses Comet Lake-R (2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the FX-6120 scores 3,853 against the Pentium Gold G6405's 3,817 — a 0.9% lead for the FX-6120. L3 cache: 8 MB (total) on the FX-6120 vs 4 MB (total) on the Pentium Gold G6405.

Feature	FX-6120	Pentium Gold G6405
Cores / Threads	6 / 6+200%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+2%	4.1 GHz
Base Clock	3.6 GHz	4.1 GHz+14%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)+100%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	6 MB+2300%	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Zambezi (2011−2012)	Comet Lake-R (2021)
PassMark	3,853	3,817

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Memory & Platform

The FX-6120 uses the AM3+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Pentium Gold G6405 uses LGA1200 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.