Intel Core i7-2600 vs AMD Phenom II X4 B97

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i7-2600 and AMD Phenom II X4 B97 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, Graphics interfaces, Compatibility, Peripherals, Security & Reliability, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. 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).

Intel Core i7-2600

AMD Phenom II X4 B97

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-2600

CPU is newer: launch date 8 month(s) later
4 more threads: 8 vs 4
Around 19% higher clock speed: 3.80 GHz vs 3.2 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
Around 33% more L3 cache; more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 32% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1740 vs 1320
2.1x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 5345 vs 2539
Around 69% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 727 vs 430
Around 88% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 2727 vs 1447

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	January 2011 vs May 2010
Number of threads	8 vs 4
Maximum frequency	3.80 GHz vs 3.2 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
L3 cache	8192 KB (shared) vs 6144 KB (shared)
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1740 vs 1320
PassMark - CPU mark	5345 vs 2539
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	727 vs 430
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2727 vs 1447

Reasons to consider the AMD Phenom II X4 B97

2x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
2x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later

L1 cache	128 KB (per core) vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	512 KB (per core) vs 256 KB (per core)

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i7-2600
CPU 2: AMD Phenom II X4 B97

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1740

1320

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

5345

2539

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

727

430

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

2727

1447

Name	Intel Core i7-2600	AMD Phenom II X4 B97
PassMark - Single thread mark	1740	1320
PassMark - CPU mark	5345	2539
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	727	430
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	2727	1447
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	3000
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	4.393
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	74.312
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.54
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	2.109
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	5.019

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i7-2600	AMD Phenom II X4 B97
Essentials
Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge	Deneb
Launch date	January 2011	May 2010
Launch price (MSRP)	$247	$100
Place in performance rating	2347	2332
Price now	$148.99	$56.99
Processor Number	i7-2600
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors	AMD Business Class - AMD Phenom X4 Quad-Core
Status	Launched
Value for money (0-100)	16.20	20.09
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Family		AMD Phenom
OPN Tray		HDXB97WFK4DGM
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.40 GHz	3.2 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI
Die size	216 mm	258 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	128 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	512 KB (per core)
L3 cache	8192 KB (shared)	6144 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	72.6°C
Maximum frequency	3.80 GHz	3.2 GHz
Number of cores	4	4
Number of threads	8	4
Transistor count	1160 million	758 million
Unlocked
Memory
Max memory channels	2
Maximum memory bandwidth	21 GB/s
Maximum memory size	32 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066/1333	DDR3
Graphics
Device ID	0x102
Graphics base frequency	850 MHz
Graphics max dynamic frequency	1.35 GHz
Graphics max frequency	1.35 GHz
Intel® Clear Video HD technology
Intel® Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)
Intel® InTru™ 3D technology
Intel® Quick Sync Video
Processor graphics	Intel® HD Graphics 2000
Graphics interfaces
Number of displays supported	2
Wireless Display (WiDi) support
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	37.5mm x 37.5mm
Sockets supported	LGA1155	AM3
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	95 Watt	95 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	16
PCI Express revision	2.0
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Flexible Display interface (FDI)
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.1, Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Fast Memory Access
Intel® Flex Memory Access
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Thermal Monitoring
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)