AMD Phenom II X4 850 vs Intel Core i7-970

Comparative analysis of AMD Phenom II X4 850 and Intel Core i7-970 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, 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 Phenom II X4 850

  • CPU is newer: launch date 11 month(s) later
  • Around 33% more L1 cache; more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
  • Around 33% 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
Launch date June 2011 vs July 2010
L1 cache 512 KB vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache 2 MB vs 256 KB (per core)
Thermal Design Power (TDP) 95 Watt vs 130 Watt

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-970

  • 2 more cores, run more applications at once: 6 vs 4
  • 8 more threads: 12 vs 4
  • Around 5% higher clock speed: 3.46 GHz vs 3.3 GHz
  • A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
  • Around 19% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1467 vs 1230
  • 2.7x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 6546 vs 2400
  • Around 62% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 592 vs 366
  • 2.6x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 3217 vs 1217
Specifications (specs)
Number of cores 6 vs 4
Number of threads 12 vs 4
Maximum frequency 3.46 GHz vs 3.3 GHz
Manufacturing process technology 32 nm vs 45 nm
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark 1467 vs 1230
PassMark - CPU mark 6546 vs 2400
Geekbench 4 - Single Core 592 vs 366
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core 3217 vs 1217

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: AMD Phenom II X4 850
CPU 2: Intel Core i7-970

PassMark - Single thread mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
1230
1467
PassMark - CPU mark
CPU 1
CPU 2
2400
6546
Geekbench 4 - Single Core
CPU 1
CPU 2
366
592
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core
CPU 1
CPU 2
1217
3217
Name AMD Phenom II X4 850 Intel Core i7-970
PassMark - Single thread mark 1230 1467
PassMark - CPU mark 2400 6546
Geekbench 4 - Single Core 366 592
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core 1217 3217
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s) 1.559
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s) 49.006
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s) 0.506
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s) 2.584
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s) 6.816

Compare specifications (specs)

AMD Phenom II X4 850 Intel Core i7-970

Essentials

Architecture codename Propus Gulftown
Family AMD Phenom
Launch date June 2011 July 2010
Launch price (MSRP) $111 $662
OPN PIB HDX850WFGMBOX
OPN Tray HDX850WFK42GM
Place in performance rating 2463 2477
Price now $64.99 $148.99
Series AMD Phenom II X4 Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Value for money (0-100) 16.08 16.59
Vertical segment Desktop Desktop
Processor Number i7-970
Status Discontinued

Performance

64 bit support
Base frequency 3.3 GHz 3.20 GHz
Die size 169 mm 239 mm2
L1 cache 512 KB 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache 2 MB 256 KB (per core)
Manufacturing process technology 45 nm 32 nm
Maximum frequency 3.3 GHz 3.46 GHz
Number of cores 4 6
Number of threads 4 12
Transistor count 300 million 1170 million
Unlocked
Bus Speed 4.8 GT/s QPI
L3 cache 12288 KB (shared)
Maximum core temperature 67.9°C
Number of QPI Links 1
VID voltage range 0.800V-1.375V

Memory

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

Security & Reliability

Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)

Advanced Technologies

Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions Intel® SSE4.2
Intel 64
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Physical Address Extensions (PAE) 36-bit
Thermal Monitoring

Virtualization

Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)