Intel Core i7-990X vs AMD Athlon II X4 605e

Comparative analysis of Intel Core i7-990X and AMD Athlon II X4 605e 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, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score.

Intel Core i7-990X

AMD Athlon II X4 605e

Differences

Reasons to consider the Intel Core i7-990X

CPU is newer: launch date 1 year(s) 4 month(s) later
Processor is unlocked, an unlocked multiplier allows for easier overclocking
2 more cores, run more applications at once: 6 vs 4
Around 62% higher clock speed: 3.73 GHz vs 2.3 GHz
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 32 nm vs 45 nm
Around 57% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 1584 vs 1009
3.6x better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 7168 vs 1997

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	February 2011 vs October 2009
Unlocked	Unlocked vs Locked
Number of cores	6 vs 4
Maximum frequency	3.73 GHz vs 2.3 GHz
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm vs 45 nm
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	1584 vs 1009
PassMark - CPU mark	7168 vs 1997

Reasons to consider the AMD Athlon II X4 605e

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
2.9x lower typical power consumption: 45 Watt vs 130 Watt
2.2x better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 1433 vs 665
Around 14% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 4113 vs 3608

Specifications (specs)
L1 cache	128 KB (per core) vs 64 KB (per core)
L2 cache	512 KB (per core) vs 256 KB (per core)
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	45 Watt vs 130 Watt
Benchmarks
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	1433 vs 665
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	4113 vs 3608

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: Intel Core i7-990X
CPU 2: AMD Athlon II X4 605e

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

1584

1009

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

7168

1997

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

665

1433

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

3608

4113

Name	Intel Core i7-990X	AMD Athlon II X4 605e
PassMark - Single thread mark	1584	1009
PassMark - CPU mark	7168	1997
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	665	1433
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3608	4113
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	0	0

Compare specifications (specs)

	Intel Core i7-990X	AMD Athlon II X4 605e
Essentials
Architecture codename	Gulftown	Propus
Launch date	February 2011	October 2009
Launch price (MSRP)	$1,104	$102
Place in performance rating	2157	2149
Price now	$349.99	$101.80
Processor Number	i7-990X
Series	Legacy Intel® Core™ Processors
Status	Discontinued
Value for money (0-100)	7.65	7.96
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.46 GHz
Bus Speed	6.4 GT/s QPI
Die size	239 mm2	169 mm
L1 cache	64 KB (per core)	128 KB (per core)
L2 cache	256 KB (per core)	512 KB (per core)
L3 cache	12288 KB (shared)
Manufacturing process technology	32 nm	45 nm
Maximum core temperature	67.9°C
Maximum frequency	3.73 GHz	2.3 GHz
Number of cores	6	4
Number of QPI Links	1
Number of threads	12
Transistor count	1170 million	300 million
Unlocked
VID voltage range	0.800V-1.375V
Memory
Max memory channels	3
Maximum memory bandwidth	25.6 GB/s
Maximum memory size	24 GB
Supported memory types	DDR3 1066	DDR3
Compatibility
Low Halogen Options Available
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Package Size	42.5mm X 45.0mm
Sockets supported	FCLGA1366	AM3
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	130 Watt	45 Watt
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)