AMD A10-7860K vs Intel Core i3-10110Y Comparison

The Intel Core i3-10110Y and AMD A10-7860K are two processors from different eras and market segments, yet their benchmark scores place them within a hair's breadth of each other. The data shows a remarkably tight contest, with the AMD part winning all five shared benchmark comparisons, but the margin of victory is consistently narrow. The Intel chip posts an average benchmark score of 908, while the AMD chip scores 904, a difference of just 0.4%. Both processors sit at the 24th percentile of all CPUs, indicating they occupy the same performance tier despite their architectural and generational differences.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

Examining the direct head-to-head results, the AMD A10-7860K emerges as the victor in every single test, although its wins are far from decisive. In the Cinebench R15 multi-core test, the AMD chip scores 279 against the Intel's 265, a delta of -5% from the perspective of the Intel part. This pattern repeats across the entire Cinebench suite. The Cinebench R20 multi-core test shows the AMD leading with 1166 points over 1108, again a 5% difference. The single-core results tell the same story: the AMD A10-7860K scores 164 in Cinebench R20 single-core versus 156 for the Intel, and 392 versus 372 in Cinebench R23 single-core. The largest gap in the entire comparison is in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the AMD part leads by 5.1%.

The consistency of these results is notable. The AMD A10-7860K does not rely on a single favorable workload; it maintains a lead of roughly 5% across all five tests. The Intel Core i3-10110Y, despite its newer 14nm Comet Lake architecture and higher boost clock of 4.00 GHz, cannot overcome the AMD's advantage in any of the measured scenarios. It is worth remembering the AMD chip's lead is remarkably stable, with deltaPct values of -4.9% to -5.1% across the board, suggesting a fundamental performance advantage that scales evenly with workload intensity. The Intel part's best performance relative to its rival comes in Cinebench R20 single-core, where it narrows the gap to 4.9%, but it never manages to take a single win.

Where Each One Wins

Given that the AMD A10-7860K wins all head-to-head benchmarks, the "Where Each One Wins" section is heavily skewed toward the older AMD processor. The AMD chip's victories span both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads, meaning it holds the edge in rendering tasks, simulation workloads, and general responsiveness. The Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 2778 for the AMD versus 2640 for Intel indicates that the AMD's four physical cores provide a tangible benefit in heavily parallelized tasks, even against the Intel's two cores with Hyper-Threading.

However, the Intel Core i3-10110Y is not without its own merits, though they are not reflected in the benchmark scores. The Intel chip's advantage lies in its platform characteristics rather than raw compute performance. Its 9W TDP is drastically lower than the AMD's 65W, making it suitable for fanless or passively cooled mobile designs. The Intel part is built on a 14nm process compared to AMD's 28nm, which contributes to its efficiency. The Intel chip also carries the UHD Graphics integrated GPU, while the AMD uses Radeon R7 graphics, but the FACT PACK provides no benchmark data for iGPU performance, so no direct comparison can be made on that front. For users who prioritize raw compute in the tested benchmarks, the AMD A10-7860K is the clear winner. For those who need a low-power mobile solution, the Intel part's efficiency profile is its primary draw.

The Verdict

From a strictly performance standpoint, the data points unequivocally to the AMD A10-7860K as the faster processor. It wins every benchmark in the comparison, with a consistent 5% advantage. The 4-core, 4-thread AMD configuration outperforms the 2-core, 4-thread Intel design across both single and multi-threaded Cinebench workloads. The AMD's higher base clock of 3.60 GHz versus the Intel's 1.00 GHz base clock, even with both boosting to 4.00 GHz, appears to give it a sustained performance edge. The AMD chip achieves an average benchmark score of 904, which is just 0.4% behind the Intel's 908, but this overall average includes Geekbench scores that the Intel chip does not have, skewing the comparison slightly.

The Intel Core i3-10110Y is the better choice for a user who values power efficiency above all else. Its 9W TDP is a fraction of the AMD's 65W, and its mobile market segment and BGA 1440 socket indicate it is designed for ultra-portable devices. The AMD A10-7860K, with its desktop socket FM2+ and unlocked multiplier, is geared toward users who want to build or upgrade a desktop system and are willing to trade power consumption for the marginal performance lead. The AMD chip also offers an unlocked multiplier, allowing for overclocking, while the Intel part is locked. Given that the AMD wins all five benchmarks and offers overclocking potential, it is the stronger performer in this matchup. The Intel chip's only tangible advantages are its lower power draw and newer process node, which do not translate into better benchmark scores.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher single-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The AMD A10-7860K scores 392 in Cinebench R23 single-core, while the Intel Core i3-10110Y scores 372, giving the AMD a 5.1% advantage.

Q: How do the two processors compare in multi-core performance?

A: The AMD A10-7860K leads in all multi-core tests. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, it scores 1166 versus 1108 for the Intel. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 2778 versus 2640, a 5% difference in both cases.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two chips?

A: The Intel Core i3-10110Y has a TDP of 9 watts, while the AMD A10-7860K has a TDP of 65 watts, a substantial difference favoring the Intel part in terms of power consumption.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: Yes, both the Intel Core i3-10110Y and the AMD A10-7860K support DDR3 memory. The AMD chip features a dual-channel memory bus with 34.1 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel part's memory bus details are not specified.

Q: Are these processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No, the Intel Core i3-10110Y has a locked multiplier. The AMD A10-7860K, however, has an unlocked multiplier, making it the only one of the two that supports overclocking.

Q: What is the production status of each processor?

A: The Intel Core i3-10110Y is listed as "Active" in production, while the AMD A10-7860K is marked as "End-of-life."

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different architectural lineages. The Intel Core i3-10110Y is based on the Comet Lake architecture, specifically the Comet Lake-Y codename, built on a 14nm process node at Intel's foundry. It features 2 cores and 4 threads, with a cache hierarchy of 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, plus a shared 4 MB L3 cache. The AMD A10-7860K, in contrast, uses the Steamroller architecture with the Godaveri codename, manufactured by GlobalFoundries on a 28nm process. It has 4 cores and 4 threads, with a different cache layout: 256 KB L1 total and 4 MB L2 total, with no L3 cache. The AMD chip is significantly larger, with a die size of 245 mm² and 2,411 million transistors, whereas the Intel chip's die size and transistor count are not listed. The AMD part supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel part's PCIe configuration is unspecified. Both processors integrate graphics, with Intel using UHD Graphics and AMD using Radeon R7, but no benchmark data is provided for these iGPUs. The Intel chip is a mobile part on a BGA 1440 socket, while the AMD is a desktop part on Socket FM2+.

Specification Differences

The specification sheets for these two chips show several clear differences. The Intel Core i3-10110Y has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the AMD A10-7860K has 4 cores and 4 threads. The base clock differs dramatically: the Intel runs at 1.00 GHz, while the AMD runs at 3.60 GHz. Both share the same 4.00 GHz boost clock. The TDP is a major differentiator, with the Intel at 9 watts and the AMD at 65 watts. The Intel part uses a BGA 1440 socket and is in the Mobile market segment, whereas the AMD uses Socket FM2+ and is in the Desktop segment. The Intel chip is built on a 14nm process, while the AMD uses a 28nm process. In terms of cache, the Intel has 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, with 4 MB shared L3. The AMD has 256 KB L1 and 4 MB L2 total, with no L3 cache. The AMD supports dual-channel memory with 34.1 GB/s bandwidth, while the Intel's memory bus is not specified. The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier and a listed part number, while the Intel does not. The release dates also differ, with the Intel launching on 2019-08-20 and the AMD on 2016-02-01. The AMD is end-of-life, while the Intel remains active.