AMD A10-9700E vs AMD Athlon X4 860K Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD Athlon X4 860K wins every single head-to-head benchmark against the AMD A10-9700E, with margins ranging from 5.4% to 5.8%. This is a clean sweep — five wins for the Athlon, zero for the A10. The largest victory comes in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the Athlon scores 294 against the A10's 278, a 5.8% advantage. The smallest gap is in Cinebench R23 single-core, at 5.4% (411 vs 390).

Multi-threaded workloads show the Athlon's consistent edge. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, it posts 1225 versus 1160, a 5.6% lead. Cinebench R23 multi-core tells the same story: 2918 vs 2762, again 5.6% ahead. The pattern is remarkably uniform — across three generations of Cinebench multi-core tests, the delta sits between 5.6% and 5.8%. This consistency suggests a fundamental per-core performance advantage rather than workload-specific quirks.

Single-core results follow suit. Cinebench R20 single-core favors the Athlon at 172 vs 163, a 5.5% margin. Cinebench R23 single-core shows 411 vs 390. While the A10-9700E never closes the gap, the deficits are modest in absolute terms — 9 points in R20 single-core, 21 points in R23 single-core. The Athlon's edge is real but not dramatic in any single test.

Notably, both processors land in the 25th percentile of all CPUs in the database. Their average benchmark scores are nearly identical — the Athlon averages 943, the A10 averages 951. The A10's slightly higher average comes from its Geekbench multi-core score of 1126, which the Athlon's 1126 matches exactly, but the A10 lacks a Geekbench single-core score in the data while the Athlon posts 454. The nearest rivals for each chip underscore their peer group: the Athlon trades blows with the Intel Core i7-2715QE (942, +0.1%) and Intel Core i3-8145U (941, +0.2%), while the A10 sits alongside the Intel Core i7-5500U (953, -0.2%) and AMD Ryzen 5 PRO 3500U (947, +0.4%).

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different AMD generations built on the same 28 nm GlobalFoundries process. The Athlon X4 860K uses the Steamroller architecture (Kaveri codename), while the A10-9700E uses Excavator (Bristol Ridge codename). Despite the architectural generational gap, the process node is identical at 28 nm — the A10's advantage must come from elsewhere.

Transistor counts tell a surprising story. The A10-9700E packs 3,100 million transistors on a 250 mm² die, versus 2,411 million on a 245 mm² die for the Athlon. That's roughly 689 million more transistors for the A10, yet it still loses every benchmark. The die size difference is minimal — just 5 mm² — so the A10 is clearly a denser design. The L1 cache favors the A10 as well: 320 KB versus 256 KB. But the Athlon doubles the L2 cache at 4 MB versus 2 MB, and that larger L2 appears to matter more in the benchmark results.

Memory support differs substantially. The Athlon runs DDR3 on a dual-channel bus with 34.1 GB/s bandwidth, while the A10 runs DDR4 on dual-channel at 38.4 GB/s. The A10's newer memory standard and higher bandwidth do not translate into benchmark wins. PCIe connectivity also diverges: the Athlon offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), the A10 offers Gen 3 with 8 lanes. The A10 does include integrated Radeon R7 graphics, which the Athlon lacks entirely — a meaningful feature for systems without a discrete GPU.

Sockets are incompatible: the Athlon uses AMD Socket FM2+, the A10 uses AMD Socket AM4. This means upgrading between them requires a motherboard change. The Athlon has an unlocked multiplier; the A10 does not. Clock speeds favor the Athlon with a 3.70 GHz base and 4.00 GHz boost, versus the A10's 3.00 GHz base and 3.50 GHz boost. The A10's TDP is dramatically lower at 35 W versus 95 W. The Athlon is end-of-life while the A10 remains in active production, and the A10's release date (2017-07-26) comes nearly three years after the Athlon's (2014-08-11).

Where Each One Wins

The Athlon X4 860K wins every compute benchmark in the head-to-head set. It is the clear choice for CPU-bound tasks like multi-core rendering — Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 all show the Athlon ahead by 5.4% to 5.8%. Single-core workloads also favor the Athlon, with R20 and R23 single-core margins of 5.5% and 5.4% respectively. If the workload is purely about raw processor throughput, the Athlon is the winner without qualification.

The A10-9700E's strengths lie outside the benchmark suite. Its integrated Radeon R7 graphics mean it can drive a display without a separate video card — something the Athlon cannot do at all. Its 35 W TDP makes it a far more power-efficient option, suitable for compact or low-power builds where thermals and electricity draw matter. The DDR4 memory support and AM4 socket give it a modern platform path, and its active production status means it remains available for new systems.

For a system that already has a discrete GPU, the Athlon's higher clock speeds and larger L2 cache deliver better computation. For a basic desktop that needs integrated graphics and minimal power draw, the A10 is the only one of the two that can function at all without an add-in card. The Athlon's 16 PCIe Gen 3 lanes versus the A10's 8 lanes also favor the Athlon for systems with multiple expansion cards or high-bandwidth devices.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD Athlon X4 860K wins all multi-core tests. It scores 294 vs 278 in Cinebench R15 (5.8% lead), 1225 vs 1160 in Cinebench R20 (5.6%), and 2918 vs 2762 in Cinebench R23 (5.6%).

Q: Does the A10-9700E have any performance advantage at all?

A: No. In the five head-to-head benchmarks, the A10-9700E wins zero. Its average benchmark score is 951 versus the Athlon's 943, but that average includes a Geekbench multi-core score of 1126 that the Athlon also achieves.

Q: Can either chip be used without a discrete graphics card?

A: Only the A10-9700E. It includes integrated Radeon R7 graphics, while the Athlon X4 860K has no integrated graphics at all.

Q: Are these processors compatible with the same motherboard?

A: No. The Athlon X4 860K uses AMD Socket FM2+, while the A10-9700E uses AMD Socket AM4. They require different motherboards.

Q: Which chip has more cache?

A: The Athlon X4 860K has a larger L2 cache at 4 MB versus 2 MB on the A10-9700E. The A10 has a larger L1 cache at 320 KB versus 256 KB.

Q: What is the power consumption difference?

A: The A10-9700E has a 35 W TDP, while the Athlon X4 860K has a 95 W TDP. The A10 draws less than half the power of the Athlon.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Athlon X4 860K | AMD A10-9700E |

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

| Architecture | Steamroller | Excavator |

| Codename | Kaveri | Bristol Ridge |

| Base Clock | 3.70 GHz | 3.00 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.00 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| TDP | 95 W | 35 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FM2+ | AMD Socket AM4 |

| Transistors | 2,411 million | 3,100 million |

| Die Size | 245 mm² | 250 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 256 KB | 320 KB |

| L2 Cache | 4 MB | 2 MB |

| Memory Support | DDR3 | DDR4 |

| Memory Bandwidth | 34.1 GB/s | 38.4 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 8 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | None | Radeon R7 |

| Production Status | End-of-life | Active |

| Release Date | 2014-08-11 | 2017-07-26 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

The Verdict

The AMD Athlon X4 860K is the faster processor, period. It wins all five head-to-head benchmarks with margins between 5.4% and 5.8%. For anyone building a system with a dedicated GPU and prioritizing compute performance, the Athlon is the data-backed choice. Its higher clock speeds (3.70 GHz base, 4.00 GHz boost) and double L2 cache (4 MB vs 2 MB) give it a consistent edge across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 in both single-core and multi-core tests.

The AMD A10-9700E is the better choice in two specific scenarios. First, if the system needs integrated graphics — the Radeon R7 in the A10 is the only way either chip can output video without a discrete card. Second, if power consumption is paramount — the A10's 35 W TDP versus the Athlon's 95 W makes it dramatically more efficient. Its DDR4 memory support and active production status also make it the more modern platform choice.

The benchmark data is unambiguous: 5 wins for the Athlon, 0 for the A10. The A10's higher average benchmark score (951 vs 943) is a statistical artifact of the Geekbench multi-core test where the Athlon matches it exactly at 1126. In every direct comparison, the Athlon X4 860K delivers superior processing performance.

Choose the Athlon X4 860K for raw speed in a system with a discrete GPU. Choose the A10-9700E for a low-power, integrated-graphics build where the 60 W TDP savings and on-board Radeon R7 graphics outweigh the 5.4-5.8% performance deficit. The data does not support any other conclusion.