CPU Comparison

The AMD A10-9700 and Intel Pentium G4560 are two desktop processors from 2017 that land in the same performance tier, with average benchmark scores of 1034 and 1031 respectively. Both CPUs sit at the 28th percentile of all processors, indicating they are entry-level parts. The data shows a remarkably tight race: the AMD A10-9700 wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests, but its largest margin of victory is just 0.6% in the R20 single-core test. In practical terms, these processors are functionally equivalent in raw compute, with the A10-9700 holding a nominal edge that is unlikely to be perceptible in real-world use.

The Verdict

The benchmark results indicate that neither processor offers a decisive performance advantage. The AMD A10-9700 wins every head-to-head test, but the deltas are minuscule: 0.3% in R15 multicore, 0.2% in R20 multicore, 0.6% in R20 single-core, 0.3% in R23 multicore, and 0.2% in R23 single-core. These differences are within run-to-run variance for most workloads. The A10-9700 edges out the G4560 in average score by three points (1034 vs 1031), which is a 0.3% difference. For users prioritizing the integrated graphics solution, the A10-9700 features a Radeon R7, while the G4560 has an Intel HD 610; however, benchmark data does not cover iGPU performance. The G4560 has a lower TDP of 51 watts versus 65 watts for the A10-9700, making it the more power-efficient choice. The G4560 also offers more PCIe lanes from the CPU (16 vs 8) and more shared L3 cache (3 MB vs none). The A10-9700 is end-of-life, while the G4560 remains active in production. Given the near-identical scores, the decision should hinge on platform preferences: the A10-9700 uses AMD Socket AM4, while the G4560 uses Intel Socket 1151. Users needing modern connectivity should note the A10-9700's Excavator architecture from Bristol Ridge is older than the G4560's Kaby Lake architecture.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two parts is substantial, despite their similar benchmark outcomes. The AMD A10-9700 is built on the Excavator architecture (Bristol Ridge codename) using a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries, containing 3,100 million transistors on a 250 mm² die. It features four physical cores with four threads, running at a base clock of 3.50 GHz with a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. Its cache hierarchy includes 320 KB of L1 and 2 MB of L2, with no L3 cache. The integrated Radeon R7 graphics is a notable inclusion for a desktop processor. The A10-9700 supports DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, but it does not support ECC memory. It provides PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU, which limits expansion bandwidth compared to its rival.

The Intel Pentium G4560 uses the Kaby Lake architecture on Intel's 14 nm process, and the data lists no transistor count or die size. It has two physical cores with four threads via Hyper-Threading, running at a fixed 3.50 GHz with no boost clock. Cache configuration is 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 3 MB of shared L3. The integrated Intel HD 610 graphics is present. Like the A10-9700, it supports dual-channel DDR4 with 38.4 GB/s memory bandwidth and no ECC support. The G4560 offers PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, which is double the A10-9700's 8 lanes. The process node difference is significant: 14 nm for Intel versus 28 nm for AMD, which explains the G4560's lower 51 W TDP despite having fewer cores. The G4560's architecture is newer (Kaby Lake), while the A10-9700's Excavator is a legacy design.

Where Each One Wins

Based strictly on the Cinebench results, the AMD A10-9700 wins all five benchmark tests, but the margins are too small to declare a meaningful victory in any workload category. The largest delta is 0.6% in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the A10-9700 scores 178 against the G4560's 177. In multicore tests, the A10-9700 leads by 1 to 3 points across R15, R20, and R23. These results suggest that for CPU-bound rendering or multi-threaded productivity, the A10-9700 has a negligible edge. The G4560's two-core/four-thread configuration manages to keep pace with the A10-9700's four-core/four-thread design, which indicates superior per-core efficiency from the Kaby Lake architecture.

The G4560 wins in efficiency and platform features. Its 51 W TDP is 14 W lower than the A10-9700's 65 W, making it the better choice for power-sensitive builds. The G4560's 16 PCIe lanes versus 8 lanes gives it an advantage for discrete GPU setups or NVMe storage. The 3 MB of shared L3 cache on the G4560, absent on the A10-9700, may help in cache-sensitive workloads, though the benchmark data does not isolate this effect. The G4560 is also the only one of the two that is still in active production. For single-threaded tasks, the data shows near-identical performance (177 vs 178 in R20 single-core), so neither CPU offers a tangible advantage in that domain. The A10-9700's Radeon R7 integrated graphics is likely superior for iGPU-only systems, but no benchmark data supports this claim.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD A10-9700 wins all multicore Cinebench tests, but by extremely narrow margins: 302 vs 301 in R15, 1261 vs 1258 in R20, and 3004 vs 2996 in R23. The largest multicore delta is 0.3%, which is effectively a tie.

Q: Does the Intel Pentium G4560 have a single-core advantage?

A: No. The data shows the A10-9700 actually leads in single-core tests: 178 vs 177 in Cinebench R20 single-core and 424 vs 423 in R23 single-core. The G4560's single-core performance is within 0.6% of the A10-9700.

Q: What are the power consumption differences?

A: The G4560 has a TDP of 51 watts, while the A10-9700 has a TDP of 65 watts. This makes the G4560 the more power-efficient part by 14 watts, which is significant for compact or low-power builds.

Q: Do these processors support the same memory?

A: Both support DDR4 in dual-channel configuration with identical 38.4 GB/s memory bandwidth. Neither supports ECC memory. Memory support is not a differentiating factor.

Q: Which CPU has better expansion capabilities?

A: The G4560 provides 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes from the CPU, while the A10-9700 provides only 8 lanes. This gives the G4560 an advantage for installations requiring more expansion bandwidth.

Q: Is the AMD A10-9700 still being manufactured?

A: No, the A10-9700 is listed as end-of-life. The G4560 is still in active production, which may affect availability for new builds.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data presents a unanimous but razor-thin sweep for the AMD A10-9700. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the A10-9700 scores 302 against the G4560's 301, a 0.3% lead. This test, which exercises all cores, shows the four-core AMD part barely outrunning the two-core Intel part with Hyper-Threading. The margin of one point is within the noise floor of the benchmark. Moving to Cinebench R20 multicore, the A10-9700 scores 1261 versus 1258, again a 0.2% difference. This pattern repeats in R23 multicore: 3004 for AMD versus 2996 for Intel, a 0.3% gap. Across these three multicore tests, the average delta is roughly 0.27%, meaning the A10-9700's physical core count advantage does not translate into meaningful performance separation.

The single-core results are even closer. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the A10-9700 scores 178 and the G4560 scores 177, a 0.6% difference that represents the largest margin of any test in this comparison. In R23 single-core, the scores are 424 and 423 respectively, a 0.2% gap. These single-core results are notable because they show the G4560's Kaby Lake architecture, with its higher IPC per core, nearly matching the A10-9700's higher peak clock of 3.80 GHz. The G4560 runs at a fixed 3.50 GHz, yet it comes within one point of the A10-9700 in both single-core tests. The cumulative picture is one of parity: the A10-9700 wins all five tests, but the largest victory is 0.6% and the smallest is 0.2%. For context, the average benchmark scores are 1034 for the A10-9700 and 1031 for the G4560, placing them as near-neighbors in the database. The nearest rival list for the A10-9700 includes the G4560 at a 0.3% delta, and conversely, the G4560's nearest rivals include the A10-9700 at a -0.3% delta. This mutual proximity confirms that these two processors are direct competitors in the same performance class, with the A10-9700 holding a statistical but not practical lead.