AMD A10-5800K vs Intel Core i7-3687U Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The AMD A10-5800K and Intel Core i7-3687U split their head-to-head benchmarks exactly one win each, but the nature of those wins tells a clear story about their intended roles. The A10-5800K takes the multi-core Geekbench test with a score of 1102 against 1044 for the i7-3687U, a 5.6% advantage. That edge comes from having four physical cores, which allows it to handle parallel workloads with more simultaneous threads than the Intel chip's two cores. For desktop users running heavily threaded applications such as video encoding, rendering, or multitasking across many applications, the A10-5800K is the stronger choice.

The Intel Core i7-3687U wins decisively in single-core performance. Its Geekbench single-core score of 526 beats the A10-5800K's 454 by 13.7%. This is a substantial margin, and it reflects the i7-3687U's higher per-core efficiency. For tasks that rely on one or two threads, such as older games, office productivity, web browsing, or lightly threaded legacy software, the Intel chip will feel snappier despite its much lower clock speeds. The i7-3687U also benefits from a much lower power envelope, which makes it suitable for thin-and-light laptops where sustained single-core bursts matter more than raw multi-core throughput.

Looking at the broader database picture, both processors sit at the 21st percentile among all CPUs, meaning they are in the same performance tier overall. Their average benchmark scores are nearly identical: 778 for the A10-5800K and 773 for the i7-3687U. The A10's nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Pentium G4520 at a matching 778, the AMD Athlon X4 760K at 777, and the Intel Pentium Silver J5005 at 776, with the Intel Core i3-7100 slightly ahead at 781. The i7-3687U's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-680 at 772, the Intel Core i3-3250T at 775, and the Intel Celeron G5920 at 775, again with the Pentium Silver J5005 at 776. In practical terms, the A10-5800K wins where thread count matters, while the i7-3687U wins where clock-for-clock efficiency matters.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD A10-5800K uses the Piledriver architecture under the Trinity codename, built on a 32 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 1,303 million transistors into a 246 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-3687U uses the Ivy Bridge architecture, built on a 22 nm process at Intel, with a much smaller 118 mm² die. Intel does not list transistor counts for this part in the database, but the smaller die on a more advanced node gives it a density advantage.

Core and cache layouts differ sharply. The A10-5800K has four physical cores and four threads, with 192 KB of L1 cache and 4 MB of shared L2 cache. It has no L3 cache at all. The i7-3687U has two physical cores and four threads thanks to Hyper-Threading, with 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core. Its L3 cache is 4 MB shared across both cores. The Intel chip's per-core cache allocation is more generous, which helps explain its single-core superiority.

Memory support is similar in both: DDR3 over a dual-channel bus. The A10-5800K has a measured memory bandwidth of 29.9 GB/s, while the database does not list a bandwidth figure for the i7-3687U. Neither chip supports ECC memory. The A10-5800K uses PCIe Gen 2, while no PCIe generation is listed for the i7-3687U.

Integrated graphics also differ. The A10-5800K carries a Radeon HD 7660D, which was a relatively capable iGPU for its era and a selling point for budget desktop builds. The i7-3687U carries Intel HD 4000, which was adequate for basic display output and light media acceleration but not aimed at gaming. The A10-5800K has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable, while the i7-3687U is locked. The A10-5800K is a desktop part on AMD Socket FM2, while the i7-3687U is a mobile part soldered to Intel BGA 1023. The A10-5800K is marked end-of-life in the database, while the i7-3687U has no production status listed.

Clock speeds and power draw are where the two diverge most dramatically. The A10-5800K runs at a 3.80 GHz base clock and boosts to 4.20 GHz, with a 100 W TDP. The i7-3687U runs at a 2.10 GHz base clock and boosts to 3.30 GHz, with a mere 17 W TDP. That is an 83 W difference in thermal design power, which is why the Intel chip belongs in laptops and the AMD chip belongs in desktop towers with active cooling. The i7-3687U's lower clocks are partially compensated by its newer architecture and larger per-core cache.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database records only two head-to-head benchmark comparisons between these processors, both from Geekbench. The multi-core test goes to the AMD A10-5800K with a score of 1102 against 1044 for the Intel Core i7-3687U, a 5.6% advantage. This result aligns with the A10's physical quad-core design: even with older Piledriver cores, four threads at higher clock speeds (3.80 GHz base, 4.20 GHz boost) outperform two Ivy Bridge cores at lower clocks (2.10 GHz base, 3.30 GHz boost) when all threads are active. The margin is modest, though, and it suggests that the i7-3687U's Hyper-Threading helps it close what would otherwise be a larger gap.

The single-core test goes the other way. The Intel Core i7-3687U scores 526 against 454 for the AMD A10-5800K, a 13.7% advantage. This is the more lopsided result of the two, and it shows how much architectural efficiency matters. Despite running at a 1.70 GHz lower base clock and a 0.90 GHz lower boost clock, the Ivy Bridge core in the i7-3687U outpaces the Piledriver core in the A10-5800K by nearly 14%. The i7-3687U also has additional benchmark data in the database beyond Geekbench: Cinebench R15 multi-core at 224, Cinebench R20 multi-core at 937, Cinebench R20 single-core at 132, Cinebench R23 multi-core at 2231, and Cinebench R23 single-core at 315. The A10-5800K has no Cinebench entries, so those scores cannot be compared directly.

The overall average benchmark scores are close: 778 for the A10-5800K and 773 for the i7-3687U, a difference of less than 1%. The A10's nearest rival in the database, the Intel Pentium G4520, matches its average score exactly at 778, meaning the A10 performs essentially at the level of a modern low-end Intel desktop chip. The i7-3687U's nearest rival, the Intel Core i3-3250T, scores 775, just 0.2% higher. Both processors are firmly in the entry-level performance tier, with the A10 favored for parallel work and the i7-3687U favored for single-threaded responsiveness.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core workloads?

A: The AMD A10-5800K scores 1102 in Geekbench multi-core, which is 5.6% higher than the Intel Core i7-3687U's 1044. The A10's four physical cores give it an edge when all threads are active.

Q: Which processor is faster in single-core workloads?

A: The Intel Core i7-3687U scores 526 in Geekbench single-core, which is 13.7% higher than the AMD A10-5800K's 454. The Ivy Bridge architecture's per-core efficiency overcomes its much lower clock speeds.

Q: How do their overall average benchmark scores compare?

A: The A10-5800K averages 778 while the i7-3687U averages 773, a difference of less than 1%. Both sit at the 21st percentile among all CPUs in the database, so they are effectively in the same performance tier.

Q: What are the TDP differences between these two chips?

A: The AMD A10-5800K has a 100 W TDP, while the Intel Core i7-3687U has a 17 W TDP. This makes the i7-3687U suitable for mobile devices, while the A10-5800K requires a desktop cooling solution.

Q: Do either of these processors support ECC memory?

A: No. Both the AMD A10-5800K and the Intel Core i7-3687U have ECC memory support listed as false in the database.

Q: Which processor has more cache?

A: The A10-5800K has 192 KB of L1 cache and 4 MB of shared L2 cache, with no L3 cache. The i7-3687U has 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, plus 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel chip's L3 cache is the key difference.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD A10-5800K | Intel Core i7-3687U |

|---------------|---------------|---------------------|

| Cores | 4 | 2 |

| Threads | 4 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 3.80 GHz | 2.10 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.20 GHz | 3.30 GHz |

| TDP | 100 W | 17 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FM2 | Intel BGA 1023 |

| Architecture | Piledriver | Ivy Bridge |

| Codename | Trinity | Ivy Bridge |

| Process Node | 32 nm | 22 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Intel |

| Die Size | 246 mm² | 118 mm² |

| Transistors | 1,303 million | Not listed |

| L1 Cache | 192 KB | 64 KB per core |

| L2 Cache | 4 MB shared | 256 KB per core |

| L3 Cache | None | 4 MB shared |

| Memory Bandwidth | 29.9 GB/s | Not listed |

| PCIe | Gen 2 | Not listed |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon HD 7660D | Intel HD 4000 |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Release Date | 2012-10-01 | 2013-01-07 |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Not listed |

The Verdict

The data supports a straightforward recommendation based on use case and platform. If you are building a desktop system and need a quad-core processor that can handle multi-threaded workloads, the AMD A10-5800K is the pick. Its Geekbench multi-core score of 1102 beats the i7-3687U by 5.6%, and its unlocked multiplier allows overclocking beyond its 4.20 GHz boost clock. It also carries a Radeon HD 7660D iGPU, which gives it an edge for integrated graphics use on a desktop without a discrete card. The 100 W TDP is high, but acceptable for a desktop motherboard with proper cooling.

If you are working within a mobile platform, the Intel Core i7-3687U is the clear choice. Its 17 W TDP makes it viable in thin-and-light laptops, and its single-core Geekbench score of 526 is 13.7% higher than the A10-5800K's 454. That single-core advantage translates to faster response in everyday tasks, and the 4 MB of shared L3 cache helps with frequently accessed data. The locked multiplier is a non-issue on a mobile part, and the BGA 1023 socket means it comes soldered to the motherboard.

The overall performance parity, with average scores of 778 versus 773 and both at the 21st percentile, means neither chip is meaningfully faster in aggregate. The choice comes down to the platform: the A10-5800K for a desktop where multi-core throughput and overclocking matter, the i7-3687U for a laptop where power efficiency and single-core responsiveness matter. The database shows no clear winner, only the right tool for the right job.