AMD FX-8120 vs Intel Core i7-870

Comparative analysis of AMD FX-8120 and Intel Core i7-870 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, Peripherals, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization, Security & Reliability. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

AMD FX-8120

Intel Core i7-870

Differences

Reasons to consider the AMD FX-8120

CPU is newer: launch date 2 year(s) 0 month(s) later
Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
4 more cores, run more applications at once: 8 vs 4
Around 11% higher clock speed: 4 GHz vs 3.60 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
Around 50% more L1 cache; more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
8x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 49% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 4643 vs 3122
Around 3% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 2092 vs 2032
7.3x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 7.468 vs 1.029
Around 11% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.38 vs 0.342
Around 22% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 5.613 vs 4.602

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	October 2011 vs September 2009
Unlocked	Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores	8 vs 4
Maximum frequency	4 GHz vs 3.60 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
L1 cache	384 KB vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	8 MB vs 256 KB (per core)
Benchmarks
PassMark - CPU mark	4643 vs 3122
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2092 vs 2032
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	7.468 vs 1.029
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.38 vs 0.342
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	5.613 vs 4.602

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-870

Around 19% higher maximum core temperature: 72.7°C vs 61°C
Around 32% lower typical power consumption: 95 Watt vs 125 Watt
Around 4% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1385 vs 1335
Around 14% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 547 vs 480
Around 2% better performance in 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score: 2453 vs 2399
3x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 53.478 vs 18
Around 72% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s): 1.541 vs 0.898

Specifications (specs)
Maximum core temperature	72.7°C vs 61°C
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	95 Watt vs 125 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1385 vs 1335
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	547 vs 480
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	2453 vs 2399
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	53.478 vs 18
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	1.541 vs 0.898

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: AMD FX-8120
CPU 2: Intel Core i7-870

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1335

1385

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

4643

3122

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

480

547

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

2092

2032

3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score

CPU 1

CPU 2

2399

2453

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

7.468

1.029

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

53.478

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.38

0.342

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.898

1.541

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

5.613

4.602

Name	AMD FX-8120	Intel Core i7-870
PassMark - Single thread mark	1335	1385
PassMark - CPU mark	4643	3122
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	480	547
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2092	2032
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	2399	2453
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	7.468	1.029
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	18	53.478
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.38	0.342
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	0.898	1.541
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	5.613	4.602

Compare specifications (specs)

	AMD FX-8120	Intel Core i7-870
Essentials
Architecture codename	Zambezi	Lynnfield
Family	AMD FX-Series Processors
Launch date	October 2011	September 2009
OPN PIB	FD8120FRGUBOX
OPN Tray	FD8120FRW8KGU
Place in performance rating	2614	2616
Price now	$99.99	$98.99
Series	AMD FX 8-Core Black Edition Processors	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Value for money (0-100)	19.43	15.90
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Launch price (MSRP)		$197
Processor Number		i7-870
Status		Discontinued
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.1 GHz	2.93 GHz
Die size	315 mm	296 mm2
L1 cache	384 KB	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	8 MB	256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	8 MB	8192 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	61°C	72.7°C
Maximum frequency	4 GHz	3.60 GHz
Number of cores	8	4
Number of threads	8	8
P0 Vcore voltage	Min: 1.0125 V - Max: 1.4125 V
Transistor count	1200 million	774 million
Unlocked
Bus Speed		2.5 GT/s DMI
VID voltage range		0.6500V-1.4000V
Memory
Supported memory types		DDR3 1066/1333
Max memory channels		2
Maximum memory bandwidth		21 GB/s
Maximum memory size		16 GB
Compatibility
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Sockets supported	AM3+	LGA1156
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	125 Watt	95 Watt
Low Halogen Options Available
Package Size		37.5mm x 37.5mm
Peripherals
PCI Express revision	n / a	2.0
Max number of PCIe lanes		16
PCIe configurations		1x16, 2x8
Advanced Technologies
Fused Multiply-Add (FMA)
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions		Intel® SSE4.2
Intel 64
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)		36-bit
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)