CPU Comparison

The Verdict

The benchmark data consistently favors the Intel Core i3-6300. Across every head-to-head Cinebench test, the Intel part wins by a margin of 13.6% to 13.7%. The average benchmark scores tell a similar story: the i3-6300 averages 978 points, while the A10-7870K averages 975 points, a difference of only 0.3%. Both processors sit at the 26th percentile among all CPUs, meaning they occupy the same performance tier overall, but the i3-6300 does so with two fewer physical cores.

The AMD A10-7870K is not without its own merits. It has four physical cores, a higher base clock (3.90 GHz versus 3.80 GHz), and a boost clock of 4.10 GHz that the Intel part lacks entirely. Its integrated Radeon R7 graphics are a different class of solution compared to Intel HD 530. For a user who values the iGPU and does not plan to add a discrete graphics card, the A10-7870K presents a more balanced package. For a user who will pair the CPU with a dedicated GPU, the i3-6300 offers better raw CPU performance in every measured benchmark, with a lower 51 W TDP versus 95 W.

Where Each One Wins

The data shows a clean split. The Intel Core i3-6300 wins all five head-to-head Cinebench comparisons. Its wins range from 13.6% in Cinebench R20 multi-core (1419 vs 1249), Cinebench R20 single-core (200 vs 176), Cinebench R23 multi-core (3380 vs 2975), and Cinebench R23 single-core (477 vs 420), up to 13.7% in Cinebench R15 multi-core (340 vs 299). There is no benchmark in the head-to-head set where the AMD part wins.

The A10-7870K wins on features rather than raw CPU scores. It has an unlocked multiplier, which the i3-6300 lacks, making it the only one of the two that can be overclocked. Its integrated Radeon R7 graphics are paired with a larger die (245 mm² versus 150 mm²) and more transistors (2,411 million versus 1,400 million), indicating a more substantial GPU block. The AMD part also has double the L2 cache (4 MB versus 256 KB per core) and a higher base clock. For workloads that are heavily threaded and scale perfectly with core count, the A10's four physical cores provide a structural advantage that the benchmark results do not reflect, likely due to the i3-6300's higher per-core efficiency.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i3-6300 is built on the Skylake architecture using a 14 nm process at Intel's foundry. It packs 1,400 million transistors into a 150 mm² die. The AMD A10-7870K uses the Steamroller architecture (codename Godaveri) on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries, with 2,411 million transistors on a 245 mm² die. The smaller process node gives Intel a density and efficiency advantage that is reflected in the TDP figures: 51 W for Intel versus 95 W for AMD.

The core configurations differ sharply. The i3-6300 has 2 cores and 4 threads, using Hyper-Threading to reach four logical processors. The A10-7870K has 4 physical cores and 4 threads, with no SMT equivalent. The cache hierarchies are also distinct. Intel provides 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, plus 4 MB of shared L3 cache. AMD provides 256 KB of L1 total and 4 MB of L2 total, with no L3 cache at all. This means the AMD part relies entirely on its L2 for on-die data, while the Intel part has an additional 4 MB of L3 shared between cores.

Memory support is another major divider. The i3-6300 supports DDR4 memory, while the A10-7870K supports DDR3. Both run dual-channel memory with the same theoretical bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s, but the platforms are incompatible. The Intel part uses Socket 1151, while the AMD part uses Socket FM2+. Both provide PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. Neither supports ECC memory. The Intel part was released on 2015-08-31, while the AMD part was released earlier on 2015-05-27. The Intel part remains in active production, while the AMD part is end-of-life.

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i3-6300 wins every single-core Cinebench test in the head-to-head data. It scores 200 vs 176 in Cinebench R20 single-core (13.6% ahead) and 477 vs 420 in Cinebench R23 single-core (13.6% ahead).

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

A: In the head-to-head benchmark set, the A10-7870K does not win a single test. The Intel i3-6300 wins all 5 comparisons, with margins between 13.6% and 13.7%.

Q: How do the two compare in overall average score?

A: The Intel Core i3-6300 averages 978 points, while the AMD A10-7870K averages 975 points. The Intel part leads by 0.3%. Both processors sit at the 26th percentile among all CPUs.

Q: Can either processor be overclocked?

A: Only the AMD A10-7870K has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel Core i3-6300 has a locked multiplier and does not support overclocking.

Q: What are the power consumption differences?

A: The Intel Core i3-6300 has a TDP of 51 W, while the AMD A10-7870K has a TDP of 95 W. The Intel part uses 44 W less under its rated thermal design power.

Q: Which processor has better integrated graphics?

A: The AMD A10-7870K includes Radeon R7 graphics, while the Intel Core i3-6300 includes Intel HD 530. The AMD part's larger die (245 mm² vs 150 mm²) and higher transistor count (2,411 million vs 1,400 million) suggest a more substantial integrated GPU.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive result is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the Intel Core i3-6300 scores 340 versus the AMD A10-7870K's 299. That is a 13.7% advantage for the Intel part, the largest single margin in the entire head-to-head set. This is notable because the AMD part has twice as many physical cores. The i3-6300 compensates for its two-core deficit with superior per-core throughput and a more efficient architecture.

Cinebench R20 multi-core shows the same pattern at a slightly smaller margin. Intel scores 1419, AMD scores 1249, and the delta is 13.6%. The single-core tests in R20 and R23 also land at 13.6%, with scores of 200 vs 176 and 477 vs 420, respectively. The consistency of these margins across different Cinebench versions, R15, R20, and R23, indicates that the performance gap is stable across workload generations and is not an artifact of a single test version.

Cinebench R23 multi-core is the highest-scoring test for both parts. The i3-6300 reaches 3380, while the A10-7870K reaches 2975. The 13.6% margin persists. Interestingly, the i3-6300's R23 multi-core score of 3380 is more than double its R15 multi-core score of 340, while the A10-7870K's R23 score of 2975 is nearly ten times its R15 score of 299. This reflects how Cinebench versions scale their scoring, not a change in relative performance.

The A10-7870K has additional benchmarks not present for the Intel part: Geekbench multi-core (1225) and Geekbench single-core (478). These scores cannot be directly compared to the Intel part because no corresponding Geekbench data exists in the pack. However, the single-core Geekbench score of 478 is close to the i3-6300's Cinebench R23 single-core score of 477, though these are different test suites and not directly comparable.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every physical and architectural specification. The Intel Core i3-6300 has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the AMD A10-7870K has 4 cores and 4 threads. The AMD part has a higher base clock (3.90 GHz vs 3.80 GHz) and adds a 4.10 GHz boost clock, which the Intel part does not have. The Intel part has a lower TDP of 51 W versus 95 W for the AMD part.

The sockets are incompatible: Intel Socket 1151 for the i3-6300, AMD Socket FM2+ for the A10-7870K. The process nodes differ significantly: 14 nm for Intel versus 28 nm for AMD. The transistor counts are 1,400 million for Intel versus 2,411 million for AMD, and the die sizes are 150 mm² versus 245 mm². The cache configurations are entirely different. Intel uses 64 KB L1 per core and 256 KB L2 per core with 4 MB shared L3. AMD uses 256 KB total L1 and 4 MB total L2, with no L3 cache.

Memory support differs by generation. The Intel part supports DDR4, while the AMD part supports DDR3. Both use dual-channel memory buses with 34.1 GB/s bandwidth. Neither supports ECC memory. Both provide PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The integrated graphics are Intel HD 530 for the i3-6300 and Radeon R7 for the A10-7870K. The multiplier is locked on the Intel part and unlocked on the AMD part. The Intel part was released later (2015-08-31 vs 2015-05-27) and remains active, while the AMD part is end-of-life.