AMD FX-8320E vs Intel Core i7-970

Comparative analysis of AMD FX-8320E and Intel Core i7-970 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 - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s).

AMD FX-8320E

Intel Core i7-970

Differences

Reasons to consider the AMD FX-8320E

CPU is newer: launch date 4 year(s) 2 month(s) later
Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
2 more cores, run more applications at once: 8 vs 6
Around 16% higher clock speed: 4 GHz vs 3.46 GHz
Around 4% higher maximum core temperature: 70.50°C vs 67.9°C
5.3x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 37% lower typical power consumption: 95 Watt vs 130 Watt
5.3x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s): 8.196 vs 1.559

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	2 September 2014 vs July 2010
Unlocked	Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores	8 vs 6
Maximum frequency	4 GHz vs 3.46 GHz
Maximum core temperature	70.50°C vs 67.9°C
L2 cache	8 MB vs 256 KB (per core)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	95 Watt vs 130 Watt
Benchmarks
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	8.196 vs 1.559

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-970

4 more threads: 12 vs 8
Around 50% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 2% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1467 vs 1435
Around 28% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 6546 vs 5107
Around 20% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 592 vs 495
Around 43% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 3217 vs 2254
2.7x better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s): 49.006 vs 17.954
Around 35% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s): 0.506 vs 0.374
Around 5% better performance in CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s): 6.816 vs 6.463

Specifications (specs)
Number of threads	12 vs 8
L3 cache	12288 KB (shared) vs 8 MB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1467 vs 1435
PassMark - CPU mark	6546 vs 5107
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	592 vs 495
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3217 vs 2254
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	49.006 vs 17.954
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.506 vs 0.374
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	6.816 vs 6.463

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: AMD FX-8320E
CPU 2: Intel Core i7-970

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1435

1467

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

5107

6546

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

495

592

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

2254

3217

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

8.196

1.559

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

CPU 1

CPU 2

17.954

49.006

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

CPU 1

CPU 2

0.374

0.506

CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)

CPU 1

CPU 2

6.463

6.816

Name	AMD FX-8320E	Intel Core i7-970
PassMark - Single thread mark	1435	1467
PassMark - CPU mark	5107	6546
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	495	592
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2254	3217
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	2625
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	8.196	1.559
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	17.954	49.006
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.374	0.506
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	6.463	6.816
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)		2.584

Compare specifications (specs)

	AMD FX-8320E	Intel Core i7-970
Essentials
Architecture codename	Vishera	Gulftown
Family	AMD FX-Series Processors
Launch date	2 September 2014	July 2010
OPN PIB	FD832EWMHKBOX
OPN Tray	FD832EWMW8KHK
Place in performance rating	2491	2478
Price now	$94.42	$148.99
Series	AMD FX 8-Core Black Edition Processors	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Value for money (0-100)	23.45	16.59
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Launch price (MSRP)		$662
Processor Number		i7-970
Status		Discontinued
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.2 GHz	3.20 GHz
Die size	315 mm	239 mm2
L1 cache	384 KB	64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	8 MB	256 KB (per core)
L3 cache	8 MB	12288 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm SOI	32 nm
Maximum core temperature	70.50°C	67.9°C
Maximum frequency	4 GHz	3.46 GHz
Number of cores	8	6
Number of threads	8	12
P0 Vcore voltage	Min: 1.075 V - Max: 1.2875 V
Transistor count	1200 million	1170 million
Unlocked
Bus Speed		4.8 GT/s QPI
Number of QPI Links		1
VID voltage range		0.800V-1.375V
Memory
Supported memory frequency	1866 MHz
Supported memory types	DDR3	DDR3 800/1066
Max memory channels		3
Maximum memory bandwidth		25.6 GB/s
Maximum memory size		24 GB
Compatibility
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Sockets supported	AM3+	FCLGA1366
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	95 Watt	130 Watt
Low Halogen Options Available
Package Size		42.5mm X 45.0mm
Peripherals
PCI Express revision	n / a
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
Physical Address Extensions (PAE)		36-bit
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)