AMD A10-5800K vs Intel Core i3-5020U Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data contains two direct comparisons between the AMD A10-5800K and the Intel Core i3-5020U, both from Geekbench. The Intel Core i3-5020U wins both tests, but the margin varies significantly by workload type.

In the Geekbench multicore test, the Intel Core i3-5020U scores 1379 against the AMD A10-5800K's 1102. That places the Intel part 20.1% ahead. Given that the AMD chip has four physical cores and the Intel chip has only two, this result is striking. The AMD A10-5800K cannot overcome the architectural efficiency of the Broadwell design. The 20.1% deficit means that even in a workload designed to use multiple threads, the older Piledriver architecture falls behind by a substantial margin.

The single-core result is even more lopsided. The Intel Core i3-5020U scores 696 in Geekbench single-core, while the AMD A10-5800K manages only 454. That is a 34.8% advantage for Intel. This gap reflects fundamental differences in instructions per clock and memory latency behavior between the two designs. The AMD part has a higher base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz, yet it still loses badly to a 2.20 GHz Intel part with no boost capability. Clock speed alone does not determine performance, and this result is a clear demonstration of that principle.

Looking at the broader benchmark averages, the two processors sit close together. The AMD A10-5800K has an average benchmark score of 778, while the Intel Core i3-5020U scores 757. The AMD part sits at the 21st percentile among all CPUs in the database, and the Intel part sits at the 20th percentile. These percentile rankings are nearly identical, which suggests that across a wide range of workloads, the two chips deliver comparable overall performance despite the large Geekbench differences.

The nearest rival data reinforces this picture. The AMD A10-5800K's closest competitor is the Intel Pentium G4520, which has an identical average score of 778. The AMD Athlon X4 760K scores 777, just 0.2% behind. The Intel Pentium Silver J5005 scores 776, 0.3% behind. The Intel Core i3-7100 scores 781, which is 0.4% ahead of the A10-5800K. These are all very tight margins, meaning the AMD part is squarely in the middle of a cluster of similarly performing desktop processors.

For the Intel Core i3-5020U, the nearest rival is the Intel Xeon E5450 at 756, just 0.1% behind. The Intel Core i5-3210M scores 758, 0.1% ahead. The Intel Core i5-4250U scores 756, 0.2% behind, and the Intel Core i5-3230M scores 754, 0.3% behind. The Intel part's average score of 757 places it in a tight group of mobile and older desktop processors.

The head-to-head data shows two wins for the Intel Core i3-5020U and zero for the AMD A10-5800K. The single-core margin of 34.8% is particularly notable because it suggests that applications relying on single-threaded performance will strongly favor the Intel part. The multicore margin of 20.1% is also significant, indicating that even parallel workloads run faster on the two-core Intel chip in this specific benchmark.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher Geekbench multicore score?

A: The Intel Core i3-5020U scores 1379, while the AMD A10-5800K scores 1102. Intel leads by 20.1%.

Q: How large is the single-core performance gap?

A: The Intel Core i3-5020U scores 696 in Geekbench single-core, and the AMD A10-5800K scores 454. Intel is 34.8% ahead.

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The AMD A10-5800K has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Intel Core i3-5020U has 2 cores and 4 threads, using Hyper-Threading to match the thread count.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The AMD A10-5800K has an average benchmark score of 778, and the Intel Core i3-5020U has an average score of 757. The AMD part is 21st percentile among all CPUs, and the Intel part is 20th percentile.

Q: Which processor has the higher base clock speed?

A: The AMD A10-5800K has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. The Intel Core i3-5020U has a base clock of 2.20 GHz and no boost clock.

Q: What does the head-to-head win count show?

A: The recorded head-to-head benchmarks show the Intel Core i3-5020U winning both tests. The AMD A10-5800K has zero wins in this comparison.

Architecture Differences

The AMD A10-5800K uses the Piledriver architecture, part of the Trinity family, built on a 32 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The Intel Core i3-5020U uses the Broadwell architecture, part of the Broadwell-U family, built on a 14 nm process at Intel. The process node difference is substantial: 32 nm versus 14 nm. This directly affects transistor density, power consumption, and thermal characteristics.

Transistor counts are nearly identical despite the node difference. The AMD chip has 1,303 million transistors, and the Intel chip has 1,300 million. However, the die sizes are very different. The AMD A10-5800K has a die size of 246 mm², while the Intel Core i3-5020U measures only 82 mm². The Intel design packs essentially the same transistor count into one-third of the silicon area, which explains its lower power envelope.

The thermal design power figures reflect this gap. The AMD A10-5800K has a TDP of 100 watts, typical for a desktop part with a high clock speed. The Intel Core i3-5020U has a TDP of 15 watts, a mobile-class figure. The 85 watt difference is enormous in practical terms: the Intel part can be cooled by a much smaller heatsink and generates far less heat in a chassis.

The cache configurations differ in structure. The AMD A10-5800K has 192 KB of L1 cache and 4 MB of shared L2 cache, with no L3 cache. The Intel Core i3-5020U has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 3 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel design uses a three-level hierarchy, while the AMD design relies on a large shared L2. In the recorded benchmarks, the Intel cache hierarchy appears to deliver better performance per clock.

Both processors support DDR3 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The AMD A10-5800K has a memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s, and the Intel Core i3-5020U has 25.6 GB/s. Neither supports ECC memory. Both use PCIe Gen 2, though the Intel part specifies 12 lanes for the CPU only, while the AMD part does not list a lane count.

The integrated graphics differ. The AMD A10-5800K includes the Radeon HD 7660D, and the Intel Core i3-5020U includes the Intel HD 5500. Both are integrated solutions, but the AMD part is a desktop-class APU graphics solution, while the Intel part is a mobile-class iGPU.

The sockets are incompatible. The AMD A10-5800K uses AMD Socket FM2, and the Intel Core i3-5020U uses Intel BGA 1168, a soldered mobile socket. The AMD multiplier is unlocked, allowing overclocking, while the Intel multiplier is locked. The AMD part is a desktop processor, while the Intel part is a mobile processor.

The release dates differ by roughly two and a half years. The AMD A10-5800K was released in October 2012, and the Intel Core i3-5020U was released in February 2015. Both are now end-of-life products.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear performance verdict in favor of the Intel Core i3-5020U in the two recorded head-to-head benchmarks. The Intel part leads by 20.1% in multicore and 34.8% in single-core. These are not marginal differences. They indicate that for the specific workloads measured by Geekbench, the Intel architecture delivers substantially more performance.

The average benchmark scores complicate the picture slightly. The AMD A10-5800K has a higher average score of 778 versus 757 for the Intel part, and the percentile rankings are nearly identical at 21st versus 20th. This suggests that across many other workloads not covered by the head-to-head tests, the two processors perform similarly. The Geekbench results may not be representative of all applications.

For users choosing between these two processors, the decision depends on workload priorities. The Intel Core i3-5020U is the better choice for single-threaded applications, where its 34.8% lead in the recorded benchmark will translate into noticeably faster response times. It is also the better choice for power-constrained systems, given its 15 watt TDP compared to 100 watts for the AMD part.

The AMD A10-5800K has advantages that are not captured in the head-to-head benchmark scores. It has an unlocked multiplier, making it attractive for overclocking. It has 4 physical cores, which may behave differently in workloads not measured by Geekbench. It has higher memory bandwidth at 29.9 GB/s versus 25.6 GB/s. Its average benchmark score is 2.8% higher than the Intel part.

However, the head-to-head results are unambiguous. The Intel Core i3-5020U wins both recorded tests, and by wide margins. The 34.8% single-core advantage is the kind of gap that dominates everyday computing tasks, which tend to be lightly threaded. The 20.1% multicore advantage shows that even the Intel part's two cores outperform the AMD part's four cores in this benchmark.

The production status of both parts is end-of-life, so neither represents a current purchase recommendation. For a system where low power consumption and strong single-threaded performance matter, the data favors the Intel Core i3-5020U. For a system where overclocking and physical core count matter more than the recorded benchmarks suggest, the AMD A10-5800K has a reasonable case.

Specification Differences

The following specifications differ between the AMD A10-5800K and the Intel Core i3-5020U:

Cores: The AMD A10-5800K has 4 cores, the Intel Core i3-5020U has 2 cores. Both have 4 threads.

Clock speeds: The AMD A10-5800K has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. The Intel Core i3-5020U has a base clock of 2.20 GHz and no boost clock.

TDP: The AMD A10-5800K is rated at 100 watts, the Intel Core i3-5020U at 15 watts.

Socket: The AMD A10-5800K uses AMD Socket FM2, the Intel Core i3-5020U uses Intel BGA 1168.

Architecture: The AMD A10-5800K uses Piledriver (Trinity), the Intel Core i3-5020U uses Broadwell (Broadwell-U).

Process node: The AMD A10-5800K is built on 32 nm at GlobalFoundries, the Intel Core i3-5020U on 14 nm at Intel.

Transistors: The AMD A10-5800K has 1,303 million transistors, the Intel Core i3-5020U has 1,300 million.

Die size: The AMD A10-5800K measures 246 mm², the Intel Core i3-5020U measures 82 mm².

L1 cache: The AMD A10-5800K has 192 KB total, the Intel Core i3-5020U has 64 KB per core.

L2 cache: The AMD A10-5800K has 4 MB shared, the Intel Core i3-5020U has 256 KB per core.

L3 cache: The AMD A10-5800K has none, the Intel Core i3-5020U has 3 MB shared.

Memory bandwidth: The AMD A10-5800K has 29.9 GB/s, the Intel Core i3-5020U has 25.6 GB/s.

Integrated graphics: The AMD A10-5800K has Radeon HD 7660D, the Intel Core i3-5020U has Intel HD 5500.

Market segment: The AMD A10-5800K is a desktop part, the Intel Core i3-5020U is a mobile part.

Release date: The AMD A10-5800K was released in October 2012, the Intel Core i3-5020U in February 2015.

Multiplier: The AMD A10-5800K has an unlocked multiplier, the Intel Core i3-5020U is locked.

Part number: The AMD A10-5800K is AD580KWOA44HJAD580KWOHJBOX, the Intel Core i3-5020U is SR240.

Launch MSRP: The Intel Core i3-5020U has a launch MSRP of $281. The AMD A10-5800K has no recorded launch MSRP.