Core i3-3120M vs A12-9800
Aggregate performance score
A12-9800 outperforms i3-3120M by a whopping 112% based on our aggregate benchmark results.
Primary details
Comparing A12-9800 and Core i3-3120M processor market type (desktop or notebook), architecture, sales start time and price.
| Place in performance ranking | 1722 | 2313 |
| Place by popularity | not in top-100 | not in top-100 |
| Cost-effectiveness evaluation | 2.65 | no data |
| Market segment | Desktop processor | Laptop |
| Series | no data | Intel Core i3 |
| Architecture codename | Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) | Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) |
| Release date | 27 July 2017 (6 years ago) | 1 October 2012 (11 years ago) |
| Launch price (MSRP) | $139 | $160 |
| Current price | $95 (0.7x MSRP) | $206 (1.3x MSRP) |
Cost-effectiveness evaluation
Performance per price, higher is better.
Detailed specifications
A12-9800 and Core i3-3120M basic parameters such as number of cores, number of threads, base frequency and turbo boost clock, lithography, cache size and multiplier lock state. These parameters indirectly say of CPU speed, though for more precise assessment you have to consider their test results.
| Physical cores | 4 (Quad-Core) | 2 (Dual-core) |
| Threads | 4 | 4 |
| Base clock speed | 3.8 GHz | 2.5 GHz |
| Boost clock speed | 4.2 GHz | 2.5 GHz |
| L1 cache | 128 KB (per core) | 128 KB |
| L2 cache | 1 MB (per core) | 512 KB |
| L3 cache | 0 KB | 3 MB |
| Chip lithography | 28 nm | 22 nm |
| Die size | 246 mm2 | 118 mm2 |
| Maximum case temperature (TCase) | 74 °C | no data |
| Number of transistors | 1,178 million | no data |
| 64 bit support | + | + |
| Windows 11 compatibility | - | - |
| Unlocked multiplier | Yes | No |
Compatibility
Information on A12-9800 and Core i3-3120M compatibility with other computer components: motherboard (look for socket type), power supply unit (look for power consumption) etc. Useful when planning a future computer configuration or upgrading an existing one. Note that power consumption of some processors can well exceed their nominal TDP, even without overclocking. Some can even double their declared thermals given that the motherboard allows to tune the CPU power parameters.
| Number of CPUs in a configuration | 1 | 1 |
| Socket | AM4 | G2 (988B) |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 65 Watt | 35 Watt |
Technologies and extensions
Technological solutions and additional instructions supported by A12-9800 and Core i3-3120M. You'll probably need this information if you require some particular technology.
| AES-NI | + | no data |
| FMA | + | no data |
| AVX | + | + |
| Enhanced SpeedStep (EIST) | no data | + |
| Hyper-Threading Technology | no data | + |
Virtualization technologies
Virtual machine speed-up technologies supported by A12-9800 and Core i3-3120M are enumerated here.
| AMD-V | + | + |
| VT-x | no data | + |
Memory specs
Types, maximum amount and channel quantity of RAM supported by A12-9800 and Core i3-3120M. Depending on the motherboard, higher memory frequencies may be supported.
| Supported memory types | DDR4 Dual-channel | DDR3 |
| Maximum memory bandwidth | no data | 25.6 GB/s |
| ECC memory support | no data | - |
Graphics specifications
General parameters of integrated GPUs, if any.
| Integrated graphics card | Radeon R7 | Intel HD Graphics 4000 |
Peripherals
Specifications and connection of peripherals supported by A12-9800 and Core i3-3120M.
| PCI Express lanes | no data | 16 |
Synthetic benchmark performance
Various benchmark results of the processors in comparison. Overall score is measured in points in 0-100 range, higher is better.
Combined synthetic benchmark score
This is our combined benchmark performance rating. We are regularly improving our combining algorithms, but if you find some perceived inconsistencies, feel free to speak up in comments section, we usually fix problems quickly.
A12-9800 outperforms Core i3-3120M by 112% based on our aggregate benchmark results.
Passmark
Passmark CPU Mark is a widespread benchmark, consisting of 8 different types of workload, including integer and floating point math, extended instructions, compression, encryption and physics calculation. There is also one separate single-threaded scenario measuring single-core performance.
Benchmark coverage: 68%
A12-9800 outperforms Core i3-3120M by 112% in Passmark.
GeekBench 5 Single-Core
GeekBench 5 Single-Core is a cross-platform application developed in the form of CPU tests that independently recreate certain real-world tasks with which to accurately measure performance. This version uses only a single CPU core.
Benchmark coverage: 42%
A12-9800 outperforms Core i3-3120M by 80% in GeekBench 5 Single-Core.
GeekBench 5 Multi-Core
GeekBench 5 Multi-Core is a cross-platform application developed in the form of CPU tests that independently recreate certain real-world tasks with which to accurately measure performance. This version uses all available CPU cores.
Benchmark coverage: 42%
A12-9800 outperforms Core i3-3120M by 107% in GeekBench 5 Multi-Core.
Pros & cons summary
| Performance score | 2.33 | 1.10 |
| Recency | 27 July 2017 | 1 October 2012 |
| Physical cores | 4 | 2 |
| Cost | $139 | $160 |
| Chip lithography | 28 nm | 22 nm |
| Power consumption (TDP) | 65 Watt | 35 Watt |
A12-9800 has a 111.8% higher aggregate performance score, an age advantage of 4 years, 100% more physical cores, and its recommended price lower by $21.
i3-3120M, on the other hand, has a 27.3% more advanced lithography process, and 85.7% lower power consumption.
The A12-9800 is our recommended choice as it beats the Core i3-3120M in performance tests.
Note that A12-9800 is a desktop processor while Core i3-3120M is a notebook one.
Should you still have questions on choice between A12-9800 and Core i3-3120M, ask them in Comments section, and we shall answer.
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