Intel Core i7-6950X vs AMD Athlon II X2 280

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i7-6950X and AMD Athlon II X2 280 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Graphics, 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 i7-6950X

AMD Athlon II X2 280

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-6950X

CPU is newer: launch date 3 year(s) 1 month(s) later
Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
8 more cores, run more applications at once: 10 vs 2
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 14 nm vs 45 nm
2.5x more L1 cache, more data can be stored in the L1 cache for quick access later
2.5x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later
Around 59% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2329 vs 1462
12.8x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 17353 vs 1355
2.8x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 9071 vs 3272

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	10 March 2016 vs February 2013
Unlocked	Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores	10 vs 2
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm vs 45 nm
L1 cache	320 KB vs 128 KB
L2 cache	2.5 MB vs 1024 KB
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2329 vs 1462
PassMark - CPU mark	17353 vs 1355
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	9071 vs 3272

Reasons to consider the AMD Athlon II X2 280

Around 3% higher clock speed: 3.6 GHz vs 3.50 GHz
2.2x lower typical power consumption: 65 Watt vs 140 Watt
Around 99% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 1941 vs 977

Specifications (specs)
Maximum frequency	3.6 GHz vs 3.50 GHz
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt vs 140 Watt
Benchmarks
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1941 vs 977

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i7-6950X
CPU 2: AMD Athlon II X2 280

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2329

1462

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

17353

1355

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

977

1941

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

9071

3272

Name	Intel Core i7-6950X	AMD Athlon II X2 280
PassMark - Single thread mark	2329	1462
PassMark - CPU mark	17353	1355
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	977	1941
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	9071	3272
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)

	Intel Core i7-6950X	AMD Athlon II X2 280
Essentials
Architecture codename	Broadwell E	Regor
Launch date	10 March 2016	February 2013
Launch price (MSRP)	$1,723	$100
Place in performance rating	1452	1477
Price now	$1,575.99	$99.99
Processor Number	i7-6950X
Series	Intel® Core™ X-series Processors
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	3.73	6.28
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.00 GHz
Die size	246 mm	117 mm
Front-side bus (FSB)	9.6 GT / s / QPI
L1 cache	320 KB	128 KB
L2 cache	2.5 MB	1024 KB
L3 cache	25 MB
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm	45 nm
Maximum case temperature (TCase)	72 °C
Maximum frequency	3.50 GHz	3.6 GHz
Number of cores	10	2
Number of threads	20
Transistor count	3200 Million	410 million
Unlocked
Memory
Max memory channels	4
Maximum memory size	128 GB
Supported memory types	DDR4 2400/2133	DDR2, DDR3
Graphics
Processor graphics	None
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Sockets supported	FCLGA2011-3	AM3
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	140 Watt	65 Watt
Peripherals
Max number of PCIe lanes	40
PCI Express revision	3.0
Scalability	1S Only
Security & Reliability
Execute Disable Bit (EDB)
Intel® Trusted Execution technology (TXT)
Advanced Technologies
Enhanced Intel SpeedStep® technology
Idle States
Intel 64
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Intel® AES New Instructions
Intel® Hyper-Threading technology
Intel® Smart Response technology
Intel® Turbo Boost technology
Intel® vPro™ Platform Eligibility
Turbo Boost Max 3.0
Virtualization
Intel® Virtualization Technology (VT-x)
Intel® Virtualization Technology for Directed I/O (VT-d)
Intel® VT-x with Extended Page Tables (EPT)