Intel Core i7-4820K vs AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i7-4820K and AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, 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 i7-4820K

AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-4820K

CPU is newer: launch date 6 year(s) 9 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 105% higher clock speed: 3.90 GHz vs 1.9 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 22 nm vs 65 nm
2x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
2.2x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 3531 vs 1610

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	September 2013 vs December 2006
Unlocked	Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores	4 vs 2
Maximum frequency	3.90 GHz vs 1.9 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm vs 65 nm
L2 cache	256 KB (per core) vs 512 KB
Benchmarks
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3531 vs 1610

Reasons to consider the AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+

2x lower typical power consumption: 65 Watt vs 130 Watt
Around 18% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 999 vs 848

Specifications (specs)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt vs 130 Watt
Benchmarks
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	999 vs 848

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i7-4820K
CPU 2: AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

848

999

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

3531

1610

Name	Intel Core i7-4820K	AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+
PassMark - Single thread mark	1961
PassMark - CPU mark	6526
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	848	999
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3531	1610
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	3874
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)	5.079
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)	94.62
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)	0.648
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)	0.812
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)	6.745

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i7-4820K	AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+
Essentials
Architecture codename	Ivy Bridge E	Brisbane
Launch date	September 2013	December 2006
Launch price (MSRP)	$399
Place in performance rating	2090	2117
Price now	$594.96	$60
Processor Number	i7-4820K
Series	Intel® Core™ X-series Processors
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	4.81	4.76
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.70 GHz
Bus Speed	5 GT/s DMI2
Die size	257 mm	126 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	256 KB
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	512 KB
L3 cache	10240 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	22 nm	65 nm
Maximum core temperature	66.8°C
Maximum frequency	3.90 GHz	1.9 GHz
Number of cores	4	2
Number of threads	8
Transistor count	1860 million	154 million
Unlocked
Memory
Max memory channels	4
Maximum memory bandwidth	59.7 GB/s
Maximum memory size	64 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1333/1600/1866
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	52.5mm x 45.0mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA2011	AM2
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	130 Watt	65 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	40
PCI Express revision	3.0
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Identity Protection technology
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Instruction set extensions	Intel® SSE4.2, Intel® AVX
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Demand Based Switching
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Smart Response 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)