AMD A10-9700 vs Intel Core i3-4330 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark record splits decisively in favor of the AMD A10-9700 across every recorded Cinebench test, though the margins are consistently narrow. The AMD part wins all five head-to-head comparisons, with deltas ranging from 1.3% to 1.7%. This is not a case of one processor dominating another through raw horsepower; rather, the A10-9700 edges ahead in both multi-core and single-core workloads by small but consistent margins.

The AMD A10-9700 shows its strongest relative advantage in the Cinebench R20 single-core test, where it scores 178 against the Intel Core i3-4330's 175, a 1.7% lead. In multi-core tests, the pattern repeats: Cinebench R15 multicore shows 302 versus 298 (1.3%), Cinebench R20 multicore shows 1261 versus 1245 (1.3%), and Cinebench R23 multicore shows 3004 versus 2966 (1.3%). The single-core Cinebench R23 test also favors AMD, 424 versus 418, a 1.4% difference.

For workloads that rely on consistent single-thread performance, the A10-9700 holds a slight but measurable edge. For multi-threaded rendering tasks, the AMD processor's four physical cores versus the Intel's two cores with four threads do not translate into a large advantage in these specific tests, suggesting that the Intel's Hyper-Threading implementation closes most of the core-count gap. However, the data does not show a single test where the Intel part wins, so the use-case split is less about "which wins where" and more about "how close the Intel part stays despite losing everywhere."

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD A10-9700 uses the Excavator architecture under the Bristol Ridge codename, built on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 3,100 million transistors into a 250 mm² die. The Intel Core i3-4330 uses the Haswell architecture, built on a 22 nm process at Intel, with 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die. The process node difference (28 nm versus 22 nm) helps explain why Intel achieves comparable performance with fewer transistors and a smaller die.

The core configurations differ sharply. AMD provides four physical cores with four threads, while Intel provides two physical cores with four threads via Hyper-Threading. Both run at a 3.50 GHz base clock, but the AMD part has a 3.80 GHz boost clock while the Intel part has no boost clock listed. Cache layouts reflect different strategies: AMD uses 320 KB of L1 and 2 MB of L2 with no L3 cache, while Intel uses 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The absence of L3 on the AMD side is notable, as Intel's shared L3 cache likely compensates for the fewer physical cores in latency-sensitive workloads.

Memory support differs by generation: the AMD A10-9700 supports DDR4 with dual-channel memory and a measured bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, while the Intel Core i3-4330 supports DDR3 with dual-channel memory and no recorded bandwidth figure. Neither supports ECC memory. The PCIe implementation also varies: AMD lists "Gen 3, 8 Lanes (CPU only)" while Intel lists "Gen 3" without lane specifics. Integrated graphics differ as well: AMD includes Radeon R7 graphics, while Intel includes HD 4600 graphics. Both are desktop parts with unlocked multipliers set to false, and both have end-of-life or unspecified production status.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The AMD A10-9700 has 4 physical cores and 4 threads. The Intel Core i3-4330 has 2 physical cores and 4 threads, meaning Intel relies on Hyper-Threading to match thread count.

Q: Does the Intel processor have a boost clock?

A: No. The Intel Core i3-4330 runs at a fixed 3.50 GHz base clock with no boost clock listed. The AMD A10-9700 has a 3.50 GHz base clock and a 3.80 GHz boost clock.

Q: Which processor has L3 cache?

A: Only the Intel Core i3-4330 has L3 cache, with 4 MB shared. The AMD A10-9700 has no L3 cache at all, relying on 2 MB of L2 cache.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD A10-9700 has an average benchmark score of 1034, while the Intel Core i3-4330 scores 1020. Both sit at the 28th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Q: Who are their closest rivals in the database?

A: For the AMD A10-9700, the nearest rival is the AMD A10-7890K with an average score of 1035, a 0.1% difference. For the Intel Core i3-4330, the nearest rival is the Intel Pentium Gold G5600 with an average score of 1022, a 0.2% difference.

Q: Which processor wins in single-core performance?

A: The AMD A10-9700 wins both recorded single-core tests: Cinebench R20 single-core (178 versus 175, a 1.7% lead) and Cinebench R23 single-core (424 versus 418, a 1.4% lead).

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD A10-9700 | Intel Core i3-4330 |

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

| Cores | 4 | 2 |

| Threads | 4 | 4 |

| Boost Clock | 3.80 GHz | None |

| TDP | 65 W | 54 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | Intel Socket 1150 |

| Architecture | Excavator | Haswell |

| Codename | Bristol Ridge | Haswell |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 22 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Intel |

| Transistors | 3,100 million | 1,400 million |

| Die Size | 250 mm² | 177 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 320 KB | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | None | 4 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR3 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | Not recorded |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 8 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3 |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon R7 | Intel HD 4600 |

| Release Date | 2017-07-26 | 2013-08-31 |

| Part Number | AD9700AGM44AB | SR1NM |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data covers five Cinebench tests, and the AMD A10-9700 wins all of them. The largest margin appears in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the AMD scores 178 against Intel's 175, a 1.7% advantage. This is the only test where the delta exceeds 1.5%, suggesting that the AMD's higher boost clock (3.80 GHz versus no boost) provides a small but real single-thread benefit.

In multi-core tests, the margins are uniform at 1.3% across three different Cinebench versions. Cinebench R15 multicore shows 302 versus 298, Cinebench R20 multicore shows 1261 versus 1245, and Cinebench R23 multicore shows 3004 versus 2966. The consistency of this 1.3% delta across different rendering workloads indicates that the AMD's four physical cores do not scale as expected against Intel's two cores with four threads. The Intel part's shared 4 MB L3 cache and 22 nm process likely compensate for the core-count deficit, keeping the gap narrow.

The Cinebench R23 single-core test shows 424 versus 418, a 1.4% lead for AMD. This is the second-largest margin in the dataset. Looking at the nearest rivals for context, the AMD A10-9700's average score of 1034 puts it essentially tied with the AMD A10-7890K (1035, 0.1% behind) and slightly ahead of the AMD A12-9800E (1033, 0.1% ahead). The Intel Core i3-4330's average of 1020 sits between the Intel Pentium Gold G5600 (1022, 0.2% behind) and the Intel Core i3-4160 (1017, 0.3% ahead). Both processors occupy the same percentile rank (28th), and the head-to-head deltas are small enough that real-world differences would be difficult to perceive outside synthetic benchmarks.

The Verdict

The data paints a clear picture: the AMD A10-9700 wins every recorded benchmark against the Intel Core i3-4330, but by margins that are almost negligible. The largest single advantage is 1.7% in Cinebench R20 single-core, and the multi-core wins all sit at 1.3%. Buyers who prioritize the slight edge in both single-threaded and multi-threaded rendering workloads should look at the AMD A10-9700, which also offers DDR4 memory support, a boost clock, and four physical cores.

However, the Intel Core i3-4330 is not far behind despite having two fewer physical cores. Its 4 MB of shared L3 cache, 22 nm process, and Hyper-Threading allow it to nearly match the AMD part's multi-core scores. The Intel part also draws less power (54 W TDP versus 65 W) and uses a smaller die (177 mm² versus 250 mm²). For users constrained by power or socket compatibility (Intel Socket 1150 versus AMD Socket AM4), the Intel part remains viable. The database shows both processors at the 28th percentile, and their average scores differ by only 14 points (1034 versus 1020). The AMD A10-9700 is the winner on raw performance, but the Intel Core i3-4330's proximity in scores means the choice likely hinges on platform preferences, memory type (DDR4 versus DDR3), and integrated graphics needs (Radeon R7 versus HD 4600) rather than the benchmark deltas themselves.