AMD A12-9800 vs Intel Core i7-2820QM Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data draws a clear line between these two processors. The Intel Core i7-2820QM wins every single recorded head-to-head test, and it does so by a consistent margin. In all five Cinebench comparisons, the Intel part leads the AMD A12-9800 by exactly 15.1 percent. There is no workload category in the database where the AMD chip comes out ahead.

The most striking result is that the Intel Core i7-2820QM wins not just in multi-core rendering, where its 8 threads give it a structural advantage, but also in single-core tests. The Cinebench R20 single-core result shows the Intel part scoring 219 against 186 for the AMD A12-9800, a 15.1 percent gap. The Cinebench R23 single-core test tells the same story: 522 for Intel versus 443 for AMD. Even with a lower base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz, the Intel architecture delivers superior single-threaded performance compared to the AMD part running at 3.80 GHz base and 4.20 GHz boost.

Multi-core rendering shows the same pattern. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Intel Core i7-2820QM scores 372 versus 316 for the AMD A12-9800. In Cinebench R20 multicore, the gap remains at 15.1 percent: 1552 versus 1318. The Cinebench R23 multicore result is 3697 for Intel and 3140 for AMD. The Intel part uses 8 threads across 4 cores, while the AMD A12-9800 has 4 threads across 4 cores. That thread advantage, combined with the per-core efficiency of Sandy Bridge, keeps Intel ahead in every rendering workload.

Looking at the broader database context, both processors sit near the same percentile ranking. The AMD A12-9800 lands at the 30th percentile among all CPUs, while the Intel Core i7-2820QM sits at the 29th percentile. Their average benchmark scores are close: 1081 for AMD and 1069 for Intel. The nearest rivals for the AMD part include the Intel Pentium Gold G6505T with an average score of 1082, the Intel Core i5-3335S at 1083, the Intel Core i5-2320 at 1083, and the Intel Core i5-4440S at 1078. The Intel Core i7-2820QM sits near the Intel Processor N95 (1070 average), AMD Opteron 3380 (1071), AMD Athlon X4 880K (1071), and Intel Core i5-5287U (1071). The deltas between these adjacent rivals are all within 0.3 percent, meaning the two CPUs are essentially peers in the overall database ranking despite the Intel part winning every direct benchmark.

The Verdict

The data supports a straightforward recommendation. The Intel Core i7-2820QM is the faster processor in every measured test. Anyone choosing between these two strictly on benchmark performance should take the Intel part. It wins all five Cinebench comparisons by 15.1 percent, and that consistency across single-core and multi-core workloads makes it the clear performance pick.

The AMD A12-9800 does have one advantage in the database: it is listed as Active production status, while the Intel Core i7-2820QM is End-of-life. The AMD part also uses the AM4 socket, which may be easier to source in a current desktop platform. The Intel part uses Socket G2 (988B), a mobile socket from an older generation. For a new build, the AMD A12-9800 has platform availability on its side.

However, the verdict from the recorded data is unambiguous. The Intel Core i7-2820QM outperforms the AMD A12-9800 in every benchmark category, and the margin is identical across all tests. The Intel part also has a 45 W TDP versus 65 W for the AMD part, making it the more power-efficient option in the database. For raw computing performance, choose Intel. For current platform availability and an active production status, the AMD A12-9800 is the only one of the two still listed as active.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are unusual in their consistency. Every single benchmark shows the Intel Core i7-2820QM winning by exactly 15.1 percent over the AMD A12-9800. This uniformity across different Cinebench versions and workload types suggests a fundamental per-clock performance advantage for the Intel architecture, not a workload-specific quirk.

The largest absolute gap appears in Cinebench R23 multicore. The Intel part scores 3697, while the AMD A12-9800 scores 3140. That is a 557-point difference, representing a 15.1 percent advantage. The Intel Core i7-2820QM achieves this with 4 cores and 8 threads, while the AMD A12-9800 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The additional threads from Intel Hyper-Threading technology contribute to the multicore result, but the single-core results show that thread count alone does not explain the gap.

In Cinebench R20 multicore, the Intel Core i7-2820QM scores 1552 against 1318 for the AMD A12-9800. The identical 15.1 percent delta appears again. Cinebench R15 multicore shows the same pattern: 372 versus 316. The single-core results mirror this exactly. Cinebench R20 single-core has Intel at 219 and AMD at 186. Cinebench R23 single-core has Intel at 522 and AMD at 443. The consistency is striking: whether the test is older or newer, single-threaded or multi-threaded, the Intel part holds the same proportional lead.

The database also records Geekbench results for the Intel Core i7-2820QM: 1623 in multicore and 517 in single-core. The AMD A12-9800 has no recorded Geekbench scores in the database, so no direct comparison is possible there. The absence of those results for the AMD part means the head-to-head comparison rests entirely on the Cinebench suite, where Intel wins every round.

The average benchmark scores in the database reflect a near tie overall. The AMD A12-9800 averages 1081, and the Intel Core i7-2820QM averages 1069. This seems to contradict the head-to-head results, but the averages include different benchmark sets for each processor. The AMD part has five recorded Cinebench scores, while the Intel part has those five plus two Geekbench results. The Geekbench scores of 1623 and 517 pull the Intel average down relative to its Cinebench performance. This is a reminder that average scores across different test sets do not always align with direct head-to-head comparisons.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the head-to-head benchmarks?

A: The Intel Core i7-2820QM wins all five recorded head-to-head Cinebench tests against the AMD A12-9800, with a 15.1 percent advantage in every case.

Q: How do the two processors compare in single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-2820QM leads in both recorded single-core tests. It scores 219 versus 186 in Cinebench R20 single-core and 522 versus 443 in Cinebench R23 single-core, a 15.1 percent margin in each.

Q: What is the multi-core performance difference?

A: The Intel Core i7-2820QM scores 372 versus 316 in Cinebench R15 multicore, 1552 versus 1318 in Cinebench R20 multicore, and 3697 versus 3140 in Cinebench R23 multicore. The delta is 15.1 percent in every test.

Q: How do their overall database rankings compare?

A: The AMD A12-9800 sits at the 30th percentile among all CPUs with an average benchmark score of 1081. The Intel Core i7-2820QM sits at the 29th percentile with an average score of 1069.

Q: Do both processors have the same core and thread counts?

A: No. Both have 4 physical cores, but the Intel Core i7-2820QM supports 8 threads while the AMD A12-9800 supports 4 threads.

Q: What are the production statuses of these two processors?

A: The AMD A12-9800 is listed as Active, while the Intel Core i7-2820QM is listed as End-of-life.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural eras and target different market segments. The AMD A12-9800 uses the Excavator architecture under the Bristol Ridge codename, built on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It has 4 cores and 4 threads, with a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.20 GHz. The Intel Core i7-2820QM uses the Sandy Bridge architecture, built on a 32 nm process at Intel. It has 4 cores and 8 threads, with a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 3.40 GHz.

The transistor counts differ substantially. The AMD A12-9800 packs 3,100 million transistors on a 250 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-2820QM has 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die. The AMD part uses a denser transistor layout despite the larger process node, which reflects the Excavator design with its integrated Radeon R7 graphics. The Intel part integrates HD 3000 graphics instead.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The AMD A12-9800 has 320 KB of L1 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache, with no L3 cache recorded in the database. The Intel Core i7-2820QM has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part has no PCIe lane count listed, while the AMD A12-9800 provides PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU.

Memory support shows a split in the database. The AMD A12-9800 supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel operation and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core i7-2820QM lists dual-channel memory support but has no memory bandwidth figure recorded. The AMD part supports ECC memory, while the Intel part does not.

The TDPs differ: the AMD A12-9800 has a 65 W TDP, and the Intel Core i7-2820QM has a 45 W TDP. The AMD processor uses the AM4 socket for desktops, and the Intel part uses Socket G2 (988B) for mobile systems. The release dates place them years apart: the Intel Core i7-2820QM launched in early 2011, and the AMD A12-9800 launched in mid-2017. The Intel part is End-of-life, while the AMD part remains Active.