AMD A10-7860K vs Intel Core i5-5350U Comparison

The AMD A10-7860K and Intel Core i5-5350U are both end-of-life processors that land in the same performance percentile, yet they represent fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD part is a desktop quad-core with a 65W TDP and a 3.60 GHz base clock, while the Intel part is a mobile dual-core with a 15W TDP and a 1.80 GHz base clock. Their average benchmark scores are nearly identical — 904 for the AMD and 903 for the Intel — but that aggregate figure hides a stark split: the AMD wins every Cinebench test, while the Intel wins every Geekbench test.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking pattern in the head-to-head data is the complete divergence across benchmark suites. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD A10-7860K scores 279 against the Intel Core i5-5350U's 221, a 26.2% advantage. That margin is remarkably consistent across all Cinebench versions: R20 multicore shows 1166 vs 923 (26.3% delta), R23 multicore shows 2778 vs 2198 (26.4% delta), and even the single-core Cinebench tests follow the same trend — R20 single-core is 164 vs 130 (26.2% delta) and R23 single-core is 392 vs 310 (26.5% delta). In every Cinebench iteration, the AMD part leads by roughly a quarter, which suggests a structural advantage in how the workload is executed rather than a test-specific anomaly.

The Geekbench results flip the narrative completely. In Geekbench multicore, the Intel Core i5-5350U scores 1671 against the AMD's 1103, a 34% lead for Intel. The single-core Geekbench gap is even larger: 868 vs 447, a 48.5% deficit for the AMD part. These are not marginal differences — the Intel part more than doubles the AMD's single-core Geekbench score. The average benchmark score for both processors is 904 and 903 respectively, placing them within 0.1% of each other, but that average obscures the fact that these chips win in completely disjoint workload categories.

The wins are lopsided in count: the AMD takes 5 of the 7 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel takes 2. However, the magnitude of the Intel wins (34% and 48.5%) is larger than the magnitude of any single AMD win (all around 26%). This is a classic split between sustained multi-threaded rendering workloads and bursty, latency-sensitive integer workloads. The Cinebench results are consistent across every version tested, which indicates the AMD's four physical cores and higher clock speeds deliver a persistent advantage in rendering, while the Geekbench results show the Intel's architectural efficiency dominates in shorter, more diverse tasks.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD A10-7860K is the clear choice for any workload that resembles Cinebench — primarily long-duration, multi-threaded rendering. Its 26.2% to 26.5% lead across R15, R20, and R23 multicore tests indicates that CPU-bound rendering tasks will complete noticeably faster on the AMD part. The single-core Cinebench wins (26.2% and 26.5% deltas) are equally important: even for lightly-threaded rendering tasks, the AMD's 4.00 GHz boost clock and 3.60 GHz base clock provide a substantial edge over the Intel's 2.90 GHz boost and 1.80 GHz base. For users running Blender, video encoding, or any application built on the Cinebench engine, the AMD part is unequivocally superior.

The Intel Core i5-5350U wins decisively in Geekbench-style workloads. The 34% multicore lead and 48.5% single-core lead suggest the Intel's Broadwell architecture is far more efficient at executing diverse, short-duration tasks — typical of general desktop responsiveness, office productivity, and web browsing. The Intel part also has a massive power advantage: its 15W TDP is less than a quarter of the AMD's 65W TDP, which makes it suited for passive-cooled or fanless designs and dramatically longer battery life in mobile devices. The Intel's 3 MB shared L3 cache and per-core L1/L2 caches (64 KB and 256 KB per core) likely contribute to its Geekbench dominance, as the data shows it extracting far more performance per clock in these tests.

For mixed usage, the average benchmark scores of 904 vs 903 indicate that neither chip has an overall performance edge. The choice comes down to which workload profile matters more. The AMD wins in rendering and sustained compute; the Intel wins in general-purpose responsiveness and efficiency. The Intel also offers a launch MSRP of $315, which is the only pricing data available for either part.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on different nodes, with different core counts, and different design targets. The AMD A10-7860K uses the Steamroller architecture on a 28 nm process from GlobalFoundries, packing 2,411 million transistors into a 245 mm² die. The Intel Core i5-5350U uses the Broadwell architecture on a 14 nm process from Intel, with 1,900 million transistors on a 133 mm² die. The Intel process node is two generations ahead in lithography, which explains its dramatically lower TDP (15W vs 65W) despite having a smaller transistor count.

Core and cache configurations differ significantly. The AMD has 4 physical cores and 4 threads, with a 256 KB L1 cache and a 4 MB L2 cache, but no L3 cache. The Intel has 2 physical cores and 4 threads (via Hyper-Threading), with 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and a 3 MB shared L3 cache. The AMD's lack of L3 cache is notable, but its larger L2 (4 MB total vs 512 KB total for Intel) partially compensates. The AMD's die size is nearly double the Intel's (245 mm² vs 133 mm²), reflecting the older process and more complex core layout.

Memory support is similar — both use DDR3 with dual-channel buses — but the AMD has a higher peak memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s compared to the Intel's 29.9 GB/s. PCIe support favors the AMD: Gen 3 with 16 lanes versus Gen 2 with 12 lanes for Intel. Integrated graphics differ as well: the AMD pairs with Radeon R7, while the Intel uses HD 6000. The AMD has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable, while the Intel's multiplier is locked. The AMD targets the desktop Socket FM2+, while the Intel is a mobile BGA 1168 part. Both support only DDR3 memory, and neither supports ECC memory.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD A10-7860K has an average benchmark score of 904, while the Intel Core i5-5350U scores 903. The difference is 0.1%, which is within the margin of error for these benchmarks.

Q: How much faster is the AMD in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The AMD scores 2778 versus the Intel's 2198, a 26.4% advantage. This is consistent with the 26.2% delta in Cinebench R15 and the 26.3% delta in Cinebench R20 multicore.

Q: Why does the Intel win Geekbench by such a large margin?

A: In Geekbench single-core, the Intel scores 868 versus the AMD's 447, a 48.5% lead. In multicore, the Intel leads 1671 to 1103, a 34% advantage. The Intel's Broadwell architecture and 14 nm process likely enable higher instructions-per-clock in these workloads.

Q: What are the core and thread counts for each processor?

A: The AMD has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Intel has 2 cores and 4 threads. Despite having half the physical cores, the Intel's Hyper-Threading allows it to match the AMD's thread count.

Q: Which processor has a higher base clock speed?

A: The AMD has a base clock of 3.60 GHz, which is double the Intel's 1.80 GHz base clock. The AMD's boost clock is 4.00 GHz, compared to the Intel's 2.90 GHz.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two?

A: The AMD has a 65W TDP, while the Intel has a 15W TDP. The Intel's TDP is 50W lower, making it far more suitable for power-constrained mobile designs.

The Verdict

The data presents a clear dichotomy. For rendering workloads, the AMD A10-7860K is the superior choice — it wins every Cinebench test by 26.2% to 26.5%, and its four physical cores with higher clock speeds (3.60 GHz base, 4.00 GHz boost) provide a consistent edge in sustained multi-threaded compute. The AMD also offers a larger L2 cache (4 MB vs 512 KB per-core for Intel), higher memory bandwidth (34.1 GB/s vs 29.9 GB/s), and PCIe Gen 3 support with 16 lanes. Its unlocked multiplier means it can be overclocked, which could extend its lead further in clock-sensitive workloads.

For general-purpose use and efficiency, the Intel Core i5-5350U is the better choice. Its Geekbench scores are dramatically higher — 48.5% better in single-core and 34% better in multicore — indicating superior performance in diverse, short-duration tasks. Its 15W TDP makes it suitable for compact, low-power systems, and its 14 nm process gives it a significant efficiency advantage. The Intel's 3 MB shared L3 cache and per-core L1/L2 caches are likely key contributors to its Geekbench dominance.

The average benchmark scores (904 vs 903) place both processors in the 24th percentile of all CPUs, and their nearest rivals are the same — Intel Core i7-940 (avg 903, delta 0.1% for AMD), Intel Core i5-4258U (avg 902, delta 0.2%), and Intel Core i3-4330T (avg 908, delta -0.4%). Neither part is a performance leader; they are mid-pack processors with different strengths. A user building a desktop for rendering should pick the AMD A10-7860K. A user needing a low-power mobile processor for everyday tasks should pick the Intel Core i5-5350U. The data does not support a universal recommendation — it supports a workload-specific one.