AMD A10-7870K vs Intel Core i3-4150T Comparison

Intel Core i3-4150T and AMD A10-7870K are two desktop CPUs that land at the exact same average benchmark score of 975, yet they achieve that parity through completely different strengths. The data shows a clear split: the AMD part dominates in Cinebench rendering workloads, while the Intel part crushes it in Geekbench tests. Both sit at the 26th percentile of all CPUs, making them entry-level performers by modern standards, but the choice between them depends heavily on which application category matters more to you.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD A10-7870K is the clear winner for multi-threaded content creation and rendering tasks. It takes all five Cinebench tests in the head-to-head data, with wins ranging from 18.4% to 18.7% across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 in both multi-core and single-core variants. This consistency suggests that AMD’s four physical cores provide a genuine advantage in sustained compute workloads that scale with thread count, even though both CPUs have four threads total. The A10-7870K’s Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 2975 versus the i3-4150T’s 2425 represents its largest absolute margin, making it the go-to pick for users who prioritize video encoding, 3D rendering, or other long-running CPU-bound tasks.

The Intel Core i3-4150T wins decisively in Geekbench, which measures more diverse, latency-sensitive workloads. Its Geekbench multi-core score of 1762 beats the A10-7870K’s 1225 by a massive 43.8%, and the single-core gap is even more extreme at 86.6% (892 versus 478). This indicates that for everyday desktop responsiveness, web browsing, office applications, and legacy software that favors strong per-thread performance, the i3-4150T is the superior choice despite having only two physical cores. Its 2.90 GHz base clock with no boost is lower than the AMD’s 3.90 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost, yet Intel’s Haswell architecture delivers far better instructions-per-clock, which shows up dramatically in these results.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i3-4150T uses the Haswell architecture on a 22 nm process node from Intel’s own foundry, packing 1,400 million transistors into a 177 mm² die. It has 2 physical cores with Hyper-Threading for 4 threads, 64 KB L1 and 256 KB L2 per core, plus 3 MB of shared L3 cache. Its 35 W TDP is remarkably low for a desktop part, making it suitable for compact or passively cooled systems. The i3-4150T uses the Intel Socket 1150 platform with DDR3 dual-channel memory and PCIe Gen 3.

The AMD A10-7870K is built on the Steamroller architecture (codename Godaveri) using a 28 nm process from GlobalFoundries. It contains 2,411 million transistors on a 245 mm² die — significantly more transistors and die area than the Intel part. It offers 4 physical cores (no SMT) with 4 threads, 256 KB L1 and 4 MB L2 cache, but no L3 cache at all. Its 95 W TDP is nearly three times that of the Intel chip, and it uses the AMD Socket FM2+ platform. Notably, the A10-7870K has an unlocked multiplier (the i3-4150T is locked), and it’s marked as end-of-life production status. The AMD part also provides a higher memory bandwidth figure of 34.1 GB/s, though both support dual-channel DDR3.

Integrated graphics differ substantially: the i3-4150T includes Intel HD 4400, while the A10-7870K pairs with Radeon R7. The AMD’s graphics solution is historically stronger, though the benchmark data here only covers CPU scores. The A10-7870K also has more PCIe lanes listed as CPU-only (16 lanes), whereas the Intel part simply lists Gen 3 support without lane count.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is the Geekbench single-core test, where the i3-4150T scores 892 against the A10-7870K’s 478 — an 86.6% advantage for Intel. This is the single largest performance gap in the entire dataset and reveals how much more efficient each Haswell core is compared to a Steamroller core. In multi-core Geekbench, the i3-4150T still wins by 43.8% (1762 versus 1225), which is surprising given that the AMD has two extra physical cores. This suggests that Geekbench’s workload mix heavily favors per-thread efficiency over raw core count.

Cinebench tells the opposite story. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the A10-7870K scores 299 against the i3-4150T’s 244, an 18.4% delta. That margin stays nearly constant across every Cinebench test: 18.5% in R20 multi-core (1249 versus 1018), 18.7% in R20 single-core (176 versus 143), 18.5% in R23 multi-core (2975 versus 2425), and 18.6% in R23 single-core (420 versus 342). The consistency of this ~18.5% gap across all Cinebench versions indicates that Cinebench’s rendering engine simply scales better with AMD’s four cores, even in its single-core test where the raw clock speed advantage of the A10-7870K (3.90 GHz versus 2.90 GHz) plays a role.

Both CPUs share the same average benchmark score of 975 and are listed as exact rivals with 0% delta to each other, alongside the AMD Athlon X4 840 and Intel Core i3-4130. The Intel Core i5-5257U trails both by just 0.1% with a score of 976, showing how closely packed this performance tier is. The A10-7870K’s wins across 5 of 7 head-to-head tests would suggest overall superiority, but the magnitude of Intel’s Geekbench victories (43.8% and 86.6%) means the average scores come out dead even.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster for video rendering?

A: The AMD A10-7870K wins every Cinebench test. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 2975 beats the i3-4150T’s 2425 by 18.5%, and the margin is similar across all Cinebench versions.

Q: Is the Intel i3-4150T better for everyday use?

A: Yes, based on Geekbench results. The i3-4150T scores 892 in single-core Geekbench versus the A10-7870K’s 478, an 86.6% advantage, and leads multi-core Geekbench by 43.8% (1762 versus 1225).

Q: Do both CPUs have the same number of cores?

A: No. The AMD A10-7870K has 4 physical cores, while the Intel Core i3-4150T has 2 physical cores with Hyper-Threading for 4 threads total. Both present 4 threads to the operating system.

Q: Which processor has better integrated graphics?

A: The AMD A10-7870K features Radeon R7 graphics, while the Intel Core i3-4150T uses Intel HD 4400. The AMD part is positioned as an APU with stronger graphics, though no graphics benchmarks are included in the data.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The Intel Core i3-4150T has a 35 W TDP, while the AMD A10-7870K has a 95 W TDP. Intel’s chip draws less than half the power of the AMD part.

Q: Can either CPU be overclocked?

A: Only the AMD A10-7870K has an unlocked multiplier, allowing overclocking. The Intel Core i3-4150T has its multiplier locked, so it cannot be overclocked in the traditional sense.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i3-4150T | AMD A10-7870K |

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

| Cores | 2 | 4 |

| Threads | 4 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 2.90 GHz | 3.90 GHz |

| Boost Clock | None | 4.10 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 95 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1150 | AMD Socket FM2+ |

| Architecture | Haswell | Steamroller |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 28 nm |

| Transistors | 1,400 million | 2,411 million |

| Die Size | 177 mm² | 245 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 256 KB |

| L2 Cache | 256 KB (per core) | 4 MB |

| L3 Cache | 3 MB (shared) | None |

| Memory Bandwidth | Not listed | 34.1 GB/s |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 4400 | Radeon R7 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | Yes |

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

The Verdict

The data presents a classic trade-off between two very different approaches to the same performance tier. The AMD A10-7870K is the pick for anyone whose workload is dominated by Cinebench-style rendering, encoding, or other multi-threaded compute tasks. Its four physical cores deliver a consistent ~18.5% advantage across every Cinebench test, and its higher base and boost clocks (3.90 GHz and 4.10 GHz versus 2.90 GHz with no boost) help in single-threaded rendering as well. The unlocked multiplier adds flexibility for enthusiasts with adequate cooling, though the 95 W TDP demands more from the system.

The Intel Core i3-4150T is the better choice for general-purpose desktop use, office productivity, and any software that responds to strong per-core performance. Its 86.6% single-core Geekbench lead and 43.8% multi-core Geekbench lead are overwhelming, and the 35 W TDP makes it dramatically easier to cool and power. The lack of a boost clock is a limitation, but the Haswell architecture’s efficiency compensates for the lower clock speed.

Given that both CPUs share the exact same average benchmark score of 975 and occupy the same 26th percentile, neither is objectively better. Choose the A10-7870K for rendering throughput and overclocking headroom; choose the i3-4150T for responsive everyday computing and low power draw. If your work involves both types of workloads, the tie goes to whichever benchmark family you trust more — Cinebench for sustained compute or Geekbench for mixed real-world tasks.