Intel Core i7-2600K vs AMD Athlon II X2 260u

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i7-2600K and AMD Athlon II X2 260u 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 i7-2600K

AMD Athlon II X2 260u

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-2600K

CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 3 month(s) later
Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
2 more cores, run more applications at once: 4 vs 2
Around 111% higher clock speed: 3.80 GHz vs 1.8 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
2x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
2.4x better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1744 vs 716
7.7x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 5484 vs 713
Around 66% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 3117 vs 1882

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	3 January 2011 vs October 2009
Unlocked	Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores	4 vs 2
Maximum frequency	3.80 GHz vs 1.8 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core) vs 128 KB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1744 vs 716
PassMark - CPU mark	5484 vs 713
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3117 vs 1882

Reasons to consider the AMD Athlon II X2 260u

3.8x lower typical power consumption: 25 Watt vs 95 Watt
Around 38% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 1119 vs 811

Specifications (specs)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	25 Watt vs 95 Watt
Benchmarks
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1119 vs 811

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i7-2600K
CPU 2: AMD Athlon II X2 260u

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1744

716

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

5484

713

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

811

1119

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

3117

1882

Name	Intel Core i7-2600K	AMD Athlon II X2 260u
PassMark - Single thread mark	1744	716
PassMark - CPU mark	5484	713
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	811	1119
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3117	1882
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	1845
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	4.524
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	77.745
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.602
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	2.129
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	5.018

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i7-2600K	AMD Athlon II X2 260u
Essentials
Architecture codename	Sandy Bridge	Regor
Launch date	3 January 2011	October 2009
Launch price (MSRP)	$317	$83
Place in performance rating	2315	2316
Price now	$189.99	$83.44
Processor Number	i7-2600K
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	13.10	3.90
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.40 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI
Die size	216 mm	117 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	128 KB
L2 cache	1024 KB	1024 KB
L3 cache	8192 KB
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	72.6°C
Maximum frequency	3.80 GHz	1.8 GHz
Number of cores	4	2
Number of threads	8
Transistor count	995 Million	410 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	0x112
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 3000
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	25 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)