AMD PRO A12-8870 vs Intel Core i7-6950X

Comparative analysis of AMD PRO A12-8870 and Intel Core i7-6950X processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics API support, 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).

 

Differences

Reasons to consider the AMD PRO A12-8870

  • Around 20% higher clock speed: 4.2 GHz vs 3.50 GHz
  • 2.2x lower typical power consumption: 65 Watt vs 140 Watt
Maximum frequency 4.2 GHz vs 3.50 GHz
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 65 Watt vs 140 Watt

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-6950X

  • Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
  • 6 more cores, run more applications at once: 10 vs 4
  • A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 14 nm vs 28 nm
  • Around 25% more L2 cache; more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
  • Around 31% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2329 vs 1782
  • 4.5x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 17353 vs 3869
Specifications (specs)
Unlocked Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores 10 vs 4
Manufacturing process technology 14 nm vs 28 nm
L2 cache 2.5 MB vs 2 MB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark 2329 vs 1782
PassMark - CPU mark 17353 vs 3869

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: AMD PRO A12-8870
CPU 2: Intel Core i7-6950X

PassMark - Single thread mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
1782
2329
PassMark - CPU mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
3869
17353
Name AMD PRO A12-8870 Intel Core i7-6950X
PassMark - Single thread mark 1782 2329
PassMark - CPU mark 3869 17353
Geekbench 4 - Single Core 977
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core 9071
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score 6073
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s) 10.499
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s) 103.335
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s) 1.263
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s) 5.312
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s) 14.075

Compare specifications (specs)

AMD PRO A12-8870 Intel Core i7-6950X

Essentials

Family AMD PRO A-Series Processors
Launch date Q3 2016 10 March 2016
OPN Tray AD887BAUM44AB
OS Support Windows 10 - 64-Bit Edition, Windows 7 - 64-Bit Edition, RHEL x86 64-Bit, Ubuntu x86 64-Bit
Place in performance rating 1451 1452
Series AMD PRO A-Series A12 APU for Desktops Intel® Core™ X-series Processors
Vertical segment Desktop Desktop
Architecture codename Broadwell E
Launch price (MSRP) $1,723
Price now $1,575.99
Processor Number i7-6950X
Status Discontinued
Value for money (0-100) 3.73

Performance

Base frequency 3.7 GHz 3.00 GHz
L2 cache 2 MB 2.5 MB
Manufacturing process technology 28 nm 14 nm
Maximum frequency 4.2 GHz 3.50 GHz
Number of cores 4 10
Number of GPU cores 8
Unlocked
64 bit support
Die size 246 mm
Front-side bus (FSB) 9.6 GT / s / QPI
L1 cache 320 KB
L3 cache 25 MB
Maximum case temperature (TCase) 72 °C
Number of threads 20
Transistor count 3200 Million

Memory

Max memory channels 2 4
Supported memory frequency 2400 MHz
Maximum memory size 128 GB
Supported memory types DDR4 2400/2133

Graphics

Graphics max frequency 1108 MHz
Processor graphics R7 None
Switchable graphics

Graphics API support

DirectX 12
Vulkan

Compatibility

Sockets supported AM4 FCLGA2011-3
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 65 Watt 140 Watt
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration 1

Peripherals

PCI Express revision 3.0 3.0
Max number of PCIe lanes 40
Scalability 1S Only

Advanced Technologies

FreeSync
Fused Multiply-Add 4 (FMA4)
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Intel 64
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Smart Response technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Turbo Boost Max 3.0

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)