AMD A10-7870K vs AMD Ryzen 7 3700U Comparison

# Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear hierarchy between these two AMD processors, with the Ryzen 7 3700U winning all three head-to-head comparisons. The most dramatic gap appears in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the Ryzen 7 3700U scores 672 against the A10-7870K's 299, a 55.5% advantage. This is not a marginal win; it is a decisive generational leap in sustained multi-threaded throughput. The Geekbench multi-core test tells a similar story, with the Ryzen 7 3700U posting 2377 versus 1225 for the A10-7870K, a 48.5% deficit for the older part. Even in single-core performance, where the A10-7870K's higher base clock might suggest competitiveness, the Ryzen 7 3700U leads by 29.9% in Geekbench single-core (682 vs 478).

The A10-7870K does have additional benchmark data points not directly compared head-to-head, but those numbers further underscore its position. Its Cinebench R20 multi-core score of 1249 and single-core score of 176, along with Cinebench R23 multi-core of 2975 and single-core of 420, are all consistent with a processor that sits at the 26th percentile of all CPUs. The Ryzen 7 3700U also sits at the 26th percentile, yet its average benchmark score of 968 is only slightly below the A10-7870K's 975 — a statistical tie in aggregate. This is a curious inversion: the Ryzen 7 3700U wins every head-to-head test, often by large margins, yet their average scores are nearly identical. The explanation lies in the fact that the A10-7870K has more benchmark entries (7 versus 4), including some weaker results that drag its average down relative to its head-to-head performance.

The nearest rivals for each processor provide additional context. The A10-7870K's average score of 975 puts it exactly on par with the Intel Core i3-4130 and AMD Athlon X4 840 (both 0% delta), and barely ahead of the Intel Core i5-5257U (-0.1%). The Ryzen 7 3700U's average of 968 matches the Intel Core i5-2400S exactly (0% delta), trails the AMD PRO A8-9600 by 0.3%, and leads the Intel Xeon X5570 by 0.1% and Intel Celeron N5100 by 0.2%. These rival comparisons show that both processors occupy a similar performance tier overall, even though the Ryzen 7 3700U dominates the direct comparisons.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different eras of AMD design. The A10-7870K uses the Steamroller architecture (codename Godaveri) built on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries, while the Ryzen 7 3700U uses Zen+ (codename Picasso) on a 12 nm process, also at GlobalFoundries. This process shrink from 28 nm to 12 nm is significant, enabling the Ryzen 7 3700U to pack 4,940 million transistors into a 210 mm² die, versus 2,411 million transistors in a 245 mm² die for the A10-7870K. The transistor density more than doubles, and the die size actually shrinks by 14.3%.

Core and thread counts differ in an important way. Both have 4 physical cores, but the A10-7870K has 4 threads total, while the Ryzen 7 3700U supports 8 threads through simultaneous multithreading. This doubling of thread count directly explains the multi-core benchmark gaps. Cache configurations also diverge sharply. The A10-7870K has 256 KB of L1 cache and 4 MB of L2 cache, with no L3. The Ryzen 7 3700U has 96 KB of L1 per core, 512 KB of L2 per core, and adds 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The L3 cache alone is a major architectural advantage for the Ryzen 7 3700U, as it provides a shared pool for data exchange between cores.

Clock speeds tell an interesting story. The A10-7870K has a base clock of 3.90 GHz and boost clock of 4.10 GHz, while the Ryzen 7 3700U has a base clock of 2.30 GHz and boost of 4.00 GHz. The A10-7870K runs at a much higher base frequency, yet still loses in every benchmark. This demonstrates that architectural efficiency and IPC (instructions per clock) improvements in Zen+ more than compensate for the 1.6 GHz base clock deficit. The A10-7870K's 95 W TDP versus the Ryzen 7 3700U's 15 W TDP is a stark contrast: the older desktop part consumes over six times the power budget yet delivers inferior performance across the board.

Memory support also differs. The A10-7870K uses DDR3 with dual-channel support and a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The Ryzen 7 3700U uses DDR4 with dual-channel support, though its memory bandwidth figure is not listed. Neither processor supports ECC memory. PCIe connectivity differs as well: the A10-7870K offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Ryzen 7 3700U offers PCIe Gen 3 without a lane count specified. The integrated graphics differ, with the A10-7870K featuring Radeon R7 and the Ryzen 7 3700U featuring Radeon Vega 10. The Ryzen 7 3700U also has an unlocked multiplier, a feature absent on the A10-7870K.

Where Each One Wins

The Ryzen 7 3700U wins in every head-to-head benchmark category. In multi-threaded workloads, its 8 threads versus 4 threads provide a clear advantage, as seen in the Cinebench R15 multi-core result (672 vs 299) and Geekbench multi-core (2377 vs 1225). For single-threaded performance, the Ryzen 7 3700U also leads, with Geekbench single-core at 682 versus 478. The Zen+ architecture's higher IPC means that even at a lower boost clock (4.00 GHz vs 4.10 GHz), it delivers better per-thread performance.

The A10-7870K's advantages are more situational. Its higher base clock of 3.90 GHz means that in workloads that are not heavily threaded and do not boost well, it may feel responsive for basic tasks — but the benchmark data does not support this as a measurable win. Its unlocked multiplier is a feature for enthusiasts, though the Ryzen 7 3700U also has this feature. The A10-7870K's 34.1 GB/s memory bandwidth is a listed specification, but no comparable figure exists for the Ryzen 7 3700U, so a direct comparison is not possible from the data.

The market segments tell the practical story. The A10-7870K is a desktop processor, end-of-life, released on 2015-05-27. The Ryzen 7 3700U is a mobile processor, still active, released on 2019-01-05. The Ryzen 7 3700U's 15 W TDP makes it suitable for thin-and-light laptops, while the A10-7870K's 95 W TDP requires a desktop cooling solution. For anyone building a new system today, the Ryzen 7 3700U is the only one of the two that is still in production.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The AMD Ryzen 7 3700U has 8 threads from 4 cores, while the AMD A10-7870K has 4 threads from 4 cores. The Ryzen 7 3700U's simultaneous multithreading doubles the thread count.

Q: How big is the multi-core performance gap?

A: In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Ryzen 7 3700U scores 672 against the A10-7870K's 299, a 55.5% advantage. In Geekbench multi-core, the Ryzen 7 3700U leads with 2377 versus 1225, a 48.5% gap.

Q: Does the A10-7870K win any benchmark?

A: No. In the head-to-head benchmark data, the Ryzen 7 3700U wins all three comparisons: Cinebench R15 multi-core, Geekbench multi-core, and Geekbench single-core. The A10-7870K has zero wins.

Q: What is the TDP difference?

A: The A10-7870K has a TDP of 95 W, while the Ryzen 7 3700U has a TDP of 15 W. The Ryzen 7 3700U delivers better performance at a fraction of the power budget.

Q: Do both processors have integrated graphics?

A: Yes. The A10-7870K has Radeon R7 graphics, and the Ryzen 7 3700U has Radeon Vega 10 graphics. Neither supports ECC memory.

Q: What is the production status of each?

A: The A10-7870K is end-of-life, while the Ryzen 7 3700U is marked as active production.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Ryzen 7 3700U outperforms the AMD A10-7870K in every measured benchmark. The multi-core advantage is massive, ranging from 48.5% to 55.5% depending on the test, and even single-core performance favors the Ryzen 7 3700U by 29.9%. The architectural improvements from Steamroller (28 nm) to Zen+ (12 nm) delivered higher IPC, more threads, and an L3 cache, all while reducing TDP from 95 W to 15 W. The Ryzen 7 3700U also remains in active production, whereas the A10-7870K is end-of-life.

For users choosing between these two, the decision depends on context. If the system must be a desktop with an unlocked multiplier and you require the specific Socket FM2+ form factor, the A10-7870K remains a functional, if dated, option — but the benchmark scores show it will lag in multi-threaded tasks and even in single-threaded ones. If the use case is mobile, the Ryzen 7 3700U is the only choice, and its 15 W TDP makes it viable for laptop designs. For anyone not constrained by legacy sockets or existing motherboards, the Ryzen 7 3700U is the clear pick based on performance, efficiency, and production status.

The percentile data offers one nuance: both processors sit at the 26th percentile of all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are nearly identical (975 for the A10-7870K, 968 for the Ryzen 7 3700U). This means that in the broader CPU landscape, neither processor is a standout; both occupy the lower-mid range. However, the Ryzen 7 3700U achieves this standing with far better efficiency and a more modern feature set. The A10-7870K's inclusion of only 4 threads and no L3 cache are structural disadvantages that no amount of clock speed can overcome. The verdict is straightforward: the Ryzen 7 3700U is the superior processor in every measurable way.