AMD A10-9700 vs Intel Core i7-975 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data splits cleanly in one direction: the AMD A10-9700 wins every recorded head-to-head test against the Intel Core i7-975. Across five Cinebench workloads, the AMD processor takes the top spot in each instance, with margins ranging from 1% to 1.7%. The Intel part does not secure a single win in the measured database entries.

Looking at the broader picture, both processors sit at the 28th percentile among all CPUs tracked in the database, meaning neither reaches the upper half of the performance distribution. Their average benchmark scores are close: the A10-9700 records an average score of 1034, while the i7-975 sits at 1023. That 11-point gap is small in absolute terms, but it consistently favors the AMD chip across every individual test.

The use-case split is therefore not about one chip winning in some workloads and the other in others. Instead, the data shows a narrow but uniform advantage for the AMD A10-9700. In multi-core rendering, the AMD part leads by 1% in Cinebench R15, R20, and R23. In single-core tests, the lead widens slightly: 1.7% in Cinebench R20 single-core and 1.2% in Cinebench R23 single-core. So if the question is which processor delivers better raw Cinebench performance, the answer is the AMD part, and it does so across both single-threaded and multi-threaded scenarios.

The nearest rival data reinforces that both chips occupy a similar performance tier. The A10-9700's closest competitors include the AMD A10-7890K (average score 1035, delta of -0.1%), the AMD A12-9800E (1033, +0.1%), the AMD A8-7680 (1036, -0.2%), and the Intel Pentium G4560 (1031, +0.3%). The i7-975's nearest rivals include the AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 2500U (1024, 0%), the AMD Phenom II X6 1075T (1024, -0.1%), the Intel Pentium Gold G5600 (1022, +0.1%), and the Intel Processor N150 (1025, -0.2%). These two CPUs are effectively in the same league, with the AMD part holding a marginal edge.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD A10-9700 is built on the Excavator architecture, codenamed Bristol Ridge, using a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 3,100 million transistors into a die size of 250 mm². The Intel Core i7-975 uses the Nehalem architecture, codenamed Bloomfield, on a 45 nm process at Intel, with 731 million transistors on a 263 mm² die. The AMD chip crams more than four times as many transistors into a slightly smaller die, but the Intel part uses a much older and less dense manufacturing node.

Core counts match at four physical cores, but threading differs. The A10-9700 has 4 threads, meaning no hyper-threading, while the i7-975 has 8 threads via Intel's hyper-threading technology. That gives the Intel chip a theoretical multi-threading advantage, yet the benchmark results do not reflect it. The AMD part still wins multi-core tests, suggesting its per-core efficiency and clock behavior compensate for the lack of simultaneous multi-threading.

Cache layouts also differ sharply. The AMD A10-9700 has 320 KB of L1 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache, with no L3 cache at all. The Intel i7-975 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part has a substantial cache hierarchy advantage, especially the large shared L3, but that does not translate into benchmark victories in the recorded data.

Memory support diverges as well. The AMD part uses DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a rated memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The Intel part uses DDR3 with a triple-channel bus and a rated bandwidth of 25.6 GB/s. The AMD chip has a higher theoretical memory bandwidth, and its newer memory standard likely contributes to its slight performance edge. Neither processor supports ECC memory.

Other feature differences: the AMD A10-9700 includes integrated Radeon R7 graphics, while the Intel i7-975 has no integrated graphics at all. The AMD part uses PCIe Gen 3 with 8 CPU lanes, while the Intel chip uses PCIe Gen 2. The Intel processor has an unlocked multiplier, while the AMD one does not. Socket compatibility is entirely different: the AMD part uses Socket AM4, the Intel part uses Socket 1366. The Intel chip launched in 2009 with a launch MSRP of $1059; the AMD part launched in 2017.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data covers five Cinebench tests, and every single one favors the AMD A10-9700. Starting with Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD chip scores 302 against the Intel chip's 299, a 1% lead. That is a close result, but it is a win. Moving to Cinebench R20 multi-core, the AMD part scores 1261 versus 1249, again a 1% margin. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R23 multi-core: 3004 for AMD against 2974 for Intel, another 1% edge.

Single-core tests show slightly larger gaps. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the AMD A10-9700 scores 178 while the i7-975 scores 175, a 1.7% difference. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD part scores 424 versus 419, a 1.2% lead. These are modest margins, but they are consistent across every workload in the database. The A10-9700 wins all five head-to-head matchups, with a total wins tally of 5 against 0 for the Intel part.

What do these numbers mean in practical terms? A 1% to 1.7% difference is not a dramatic performance chasm. In real-world use, users would likely not feel a meaningful difference between these two processors in most tasks. But the data is unambiguous: the AMD part is faster in every measured test. The single-core advantage is slightly more pronounced, which is notable given that the Intel chip has a higher thread count and a larger cache. The AMD processor's newer architecture and faster memory support appear to offset those Intel advantages.

The average benchmark scores corroborate the head-to-head results. The AMD A10-9700 has an average score of 1034 across all tracked benchmarks, while the Intel i7-975 has an average of 1023. That is a 1.1% difference, in line with the individual test margins. Both chips sit at the 28th percentile, so neither is a high-performance part by modern standards, but the AMD chip consistently edges out the Intel one.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the recorded data, the AMD A10-9700 is the faster processor in every benchmark where both were measured. It wins all five Cinebench tests, from multi-core R15 to single-core R23, with margins between 1% and 1.7%. If the decision comes down to raw performance in these workloads, the AMD part is the clear choice.

The Intel Core i7-975 does have structural advantages that the benchmarks do not reward. It has 8 threads versus 4, a large 8 MB shared L3 cache, and an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Those features could matter in scenarios not covered by the recorded Cinebench tests, such as heavily parallel workloads that scale with thread count, or overclocking scenarios where the unlocked multiplier allows tuning. However, the database shows no evidence of the Intel part outperforming the AMD part in any measured test.

The Intel chip also carries a launch MSRP of $1059, though pricing is not a factor in the performance analysis. The AMD part offers integrated graphics, which the Intel part lacks entirely. For a system that needs a display output without a discrete GPU, the AMD A10-9700 has a functional advantage. The Intel chip requires a separate graphics card.

In terms of platform longevity, the AMD part uses Socket AM4 and DDR4 memory, both of which are more modern than the Intel part's Socket 1366 and DDR3. The AMD chip also has a lower TDP at 65 watts versus 130 watts for the Intel part, which means less heat generation and potentially lower cooling requirements. The Intel part is an older design from 2009, while the AMD part is from 2017.

The verdict is straightforward: choose the AMD A10-9700 for better measured performance, integrated graphics, lower power draw, and a more modern platform. Choose the Intel Core i7-975 only if the specific need is for a processor with eight threads, an unlocked multiplier, or a large shared L3 cache, and if the workload is not represented by the Cinebench results in the database. From the data available, the AMD part wins.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins more benchmarks in the database?

A: The AMD A10-9700 wins all 5 recorded head-to-head tests against the Intel Core i7-975. The Intel part wins none.

Q: How large is the performance gap in single-core tests?

A: The AMD A10-9700 leads by 1.7% in Cinebench R20 single-core (178 vs 175) and by 1.2% in Cinebench R23 single-core (424 vs 419).

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-975 have more threads?

A: Yes, the Intel part has 8 threads versus 4 threads on the AMD A10-9700. Despite this, the AMD part wins all multi-core tests.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference?

A: The AMD A10-9700 has an average score of 1034, while the Intel Core i7-975 has an average score of 1023, a difference of 11 points in favor of AMD.

Q: Do both processors support integrated graphics?

A: No. The AMD A10-9700 includes Radeon R7 integrated graphics, while the Intel Core i7-975 has no integrated graphics.

Q: What memory standards do the two processors support?

A: The AMD A10-9700 supports DDR4 with dual-channel memory and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core i7-975 supports DDR3 with triple-channel memory and 25.6 GB/s bandwidth.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD A10-9700 | Intel Core i7-975 |

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

| Cores | 4 | 4 |

| Threads | 4 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 3.50 GHz | 3.33 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.80 GHz | 3.60 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 130 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | Intel Socket 1366 |

| Architecture | Excavator | Nehalem |

| Codename | Bristol Ridge | Bloomfield |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 45 nm |

| Transistors | 3,100 million | 731 million |

| Die Size | 250 mm² | 263 mm² |

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

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

| L3 Cache | None | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR3 |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Triple-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 38.4 GB/s | 25.6 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 8 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 2 |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon R7 | None |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | Yes |

| Launch MSRP | Not available | $1059 |

| Release Date | 2017-07-26 | 2009-06-01 |