AMD A12-9800 vs Intel Core i7-10510Y Comparison

The Intel Core i7-10510Y and the AMD A12-9800 occupy very different corners of the processor market, yet their benchmark results place them in the same performance tier. The Intel part is a 9-watt mobile chip designed for thin-and-light laptops, while the AMD A12-9800 is a 65-watt desktop part aimed at mainstream AM4 builds. Despite these contrasting design goals, the recorded data shows that the Intel chip edges out the AMD processor in every single Cinebench test, though the margins are consistently narrow. This makes the comparison less about outright speed and more about platform context, power characteristics, and the architectural trade-offs each company made.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-10510Y wins all five head-to-head benchmark comparisons in the database. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 319 against the A12-9800's 316, a difference of 0.9 percent. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the Intel part scores 1332 versus 1318, a 1.1 percent advantage. The single-core tests tell the same story: Cinebench R20 single-core shows 187 for Intel and 186 for AMD, a 0.5 percent lead, while Cinebench R23 single-core has Intel at 447 against AMD's 443, a 0.9 percent margin. The largest gap appears in Cinebench R23 multi-core, where Intel scores 3173 compared to 3140, again a 1.1 percent difference. So the Intel chip wins everywhere, but no win exceeds 1.1 percent.

The AMD A12-9800, however, wins on the basis of its platform and feature set rather than raw benchmark scores. It supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The Intel Core i7-10510Y, by contrast, lists DDR3 memory support with no memory bus or bandwidth figures recorded. The AMD part also provides PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel chip has no PCIe data in the database. For a desktop builder, the AMD A12-9800 offers a socket AM4 platform with upgrade potential and modern I/O, whereas the Intel chip is a BGA 1440 soldered mobile part with no socket-based upgrade path. The AMD chip also has a much higher base clock of 3.80 GHz versus the Intel's 1.20 GHz, which gives it an advantage in lightly threaded workloads that are sensitive to raw clock speed, even though the benchmark data shows the Intel chip still leads in single-core Cinebench tests.

The Intel chip wins on efficiency. Its TDP is 9 watts, compared to the AMD's 65 watts. That is a massive difference in power consumption, and for mobile devices, thermal output, battery life, and chassis design, the Intel part is in a completely different category. The AMD A12-9800, with its 65-watt TDP, requires a desktop cooling solution and a power supply capable of handling that draw. The Intel chip can be cooled by a small fan or even passively in some ultra-thin designs.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core Cinebench tests?

A: The Intel Core i7-10510Y wins every recorded multi-core test. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 319 versus 316 for the AMD A12-9800. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, Intel scores 1332 against 1318. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, Intel scores 3173 versus 3140. The margin is consistently around 1 percent.

Q: How do the single-core scores compare?

A: The Intel chip also leads in single-core tests. Cinebench R20 single-core shows Intel at 187 and AMD at 186, a 0.5 percent lead. Cinebench R23 single-core has Intel at 447 and AMD at 443, a 0.9 percent lead. Despite the AMD chip having a much higher base clock of 3.80 GHz versus 1.20 GHz, the Intel part still manages to win these tests.

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i7-10510Y has an average benchmark score of 1092, while the AMD A12-9800 has an average score of 1081. Both processors sit at the 30th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Q: Do these processors support ECC memory?

A: No. Both the Intel Core i7-10510Y and the AMD A12-9800 have ECC memory support listed as false in the database.

Q: What memory types do they support?

A: The Intel Core i7-10510Y supports DDR3 memory. The AMD A12-9800 supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s.

Q: Are these processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. Both the Intel Core i7-10510Y and the AMD A12-9800 have multiplier unlocked set to false.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded head-to-head data shows a clean sweep for the Intel Core i7-10510Y, but the margins are so small that they would be imperceptible in real-world use. The largest win is a 1.1 percent advantage in both Cinebench R20 multi-core and Cinebench R23 multi-core. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, Intel scores 1332 and AMD scores 1318. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, Intel scores 3173 and AMD scores 3140. These are essentially tied results. The smallest win is in Cinebench R20 single-core, where Intel scores 187 and AMD scores 186, a 0.5 percent difference. That is a single point on the scale, well within run-to-run variance for most testing environments.

Cinebench R15 multi-core shows Intel at 319 and AMD at 316, a 0.9 percent margin. Cinebench R23 single-core shows Intel at 447 and AMD at 443, also a 0.9 percent margin. Across all five tests, the average delta is right around 1 percent. The Intel chip's advantage comes from its Comet Lake architecture, which provides 4 cores and 8 threads, while the AMD A12-9800 offers 4 cores and 4 threads. The extra threads from Intel's Hyper-Threading technology likely account for the consistent, if small, multi-core lead. In single-core tests, the Intel chip's higher boost clock of 4.50 GHz versus 4.20 GHz for the AMD part helps it overcome the AMD chip's much higher base clock of 3.80 GHz.

The AMD A12-9800, despite its 28 nm Excavator architecture and older design, manages to stay within striking distance. Its 3,100 million transistors and 250 mm² die size are substantially larger than the Intel chip's 14 nm design, yet the performance gap remains minimal. This suggests that the Intel chip's architectural efficiency and higher boost clock are enough to offset the AMD chip's higher base clock and desktop-class power budget. For anyone comparing these two based purely on benchmark scores, the decision would come down to factors outside the Cinebench results.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification category except core count. Both have 4 cores, but the Intel Core i7-10510Y has 8 threads, while the AMD A12-9800 has 4 threads. The Intel chip's base clock is 1.20 GHz, and its boost clock is 4.50 GHz. The AMD chip's base clock is 3.80 GHz, and its boost clock is 4.20 GHz. The AMD part has a higher base clock by a wide margin, but the Intel part has a higher boost clock by 0.30 GHz.

The TDP difference is dramatic. The Intel Core i7-10510Y is rated at 9 watts, while the AMD A12-9800 is rated at 65 watts. This means the Intel chip is designed for mobile or low-power applications, while the AMD chip is a desktop processor. The sockets reflect this: Intel uses BGA 1440, a soldered mobile package, while AMD uses Socket AM4, a desktop socket. The market segments are listed as Mobile for Intel and Desktop for AMD.

The process node also differs. Intel uses a 14 nm process manufactured by Intel, while AMD uses a 28 nm process manufactured by GlobalFoundries. The AMD chip has a recorded transistor count of 3,100 million and a die size of 250 mm², while the Intel chip has no transistor or die size data in the database. Cache configurations are different as well. The Intel chip has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD chip has 320 KB of L1 cache total, 2 MB of L2 cache total, and no L3 cache listed.

Memory support splits the pair. The Intel chip supports DDR3, while the AMD chip supports DDR4 with a dual-channel bus and 38.4 GB/s of memory bandwidth. The AMD chip also has PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel chip has no PCIe data recorded. Both processors have integrated graphics, with Intel using UHD Graphics and AMD using Radeon R7. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD chip has a part number of AD9800AUABBOXAD9800AUM44AB, while the Intel chip has no part number recorded. The Intel chip was released on 2019-08-20, while the AMD chip was released on 2017-07-26. Both are listed as Active in production status.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i7-10510Y is built on the Comet Lake architecture, specifically the Comet Lake-Y codename. This is a 10th Gen Core processor from Intel, fabricated on a 14 nm process at Intel's own foundries. The architecture supports 4 cores and 8 threads, enabling simultaneous multithreading. The cache hierarchy is per-core for L1 and L2, with 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 for each core, plus a shared 8 MB L3 cache. The 14 nm process is mature and well characterized, which helps explain how Intel achieves a 4.50 GHz boost clock within a 9-watt TDP envelope. The chip is designed for mobile devices, soldered to the board via BGA 1440, and its integrated UHD Graphics are meant for everyday tasks rather than gaming or content creation.

The AMD A12-9800 uses the Excavator architecture, with the codename Bristol Ridge. This is a 28 nm design from GlobalFoundries, and it represents the last generation of AMD's modular architecture before the Zen family. The chip has 4 cores and 4 threads, with no simultaneous multithreading. The cache layout is different: 320 KB of L1 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache, with no L3 cache at all. This is a significant architectural difference because the Intel chip's 8 MB of L3 cache provides a large pool of fast memory for frequently accessed data, which can help in multi-threaded workloads and larger datasets.

The AMD chip has a substantially larger physical footprint, with a die size of 250 mm² and 3,100 million transistors. This reflects the older 28 nm process, which requires more area and power to achieve comparable performance. The Intel chip, on the other hand, uses a more advanced 14 nm process, which allows for smaller transistors and better power efficiency. The TDP difference of 9 watts versus 65 watts is a direct result of these architectural and process choices.

Memory architecture also differs fundamentally. The Intel chip supports DDR3 memory, which is an older standard with lower bandwidth compared to DDR4. The AMD chip supports DDR4 with a dual-channel bus and a recorded memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. This gives the AMD platform a theoretical memory bandwidth advantage, though the benchmark data shows that this does not translate into a Cinebench win for the AMD chip. The AMD chip also provides PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU, which is useful for discrete GPUs or NVMe storage. The Intel chip has no PCIe data recorded, likely because its mobile platform routes PCIe through the chipset rather than directly from the CPU.

Both chips integrate graphics, but the Intel UHD Graphics and AMD Radeon R7 are not benchmarked in the database. The AMD chip's graphics are based on the same Excavator architecture and share the memory bandwidth of the system, while the Intel chip's graphics are part of the Comet Lake SoC. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers, meaning overclocking is not officially supported on either platform.

The release dates reflect the generational gap. The AMD A12-9800 launched on 2017-07-26, while the Intel Core i7-10510Y launched on 2019-08-20. Despite this two-year gap, the benchmark scores are nearly identical, which speaks to the efficiency of Intel's 14 nm process and the limitations of AMD's 28 nm Excavator design. The Intel chip achieves the same performance level at a fraction of the power draw, while the AMD chip offers a desktop socket, DDR4 support, and direct PCIe connectivity. The choice between the two depends entirely on whether the priority is a low-power mobile platform or a desktop platform with modern memory and I/O.