CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i3-4160T and AMD A12-9800E are both 35W desktop processors, but they approach performance from opposite directions. The Intel part uses two physical cores with Hyper-Threading on a 22nm Haswell design, while the AMD chip offers four physical Excavator cores on 28nm silicon. Benchmark results show a clear split: the AMD A12-9800E dominates in Cinebench workloads, while the Intel Core i3-4160T takes decisive victories in Geekbench testing. The data reveals that these are not interchangeable parts, and the choice between them depends heavily on the specific application workload.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD A12-9800E wins five of the seven head-to-head comparisons, and it does so with consistent margins. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD chip scores 297 against the Intel’s 265, a 10.8% advantage. That pattern repeats across every Cinebench iteration in the data. Cinebench R20 multicore shows the AMD part at 1239 versus 1106, a 10.7% lead. Cinebench R23 multicore follows with 2950 against 2635, again a 10.7% difference. The single-core Cinebench results are similarly one-sided: R20 single-core gives the AMD chip 174 versus 156 (10.3% ahead), and R23 single-core shows 416 versus 372 (10.6% ahead). The AMD A12-9800E is consistently ahead by roughly ten percent across all Cinebench tests.

The Intel Core i3-4160T fights back in Geekbench with much larger margins. In Geekbench multicore, the Intel part scores 1840 against the AMD’s 1521, a 21% advantage. The single-core Geekbench result is even more lopsided: Intel scores 926, AMD scores 631, giving Intel a 46.8% lead. These are not small differences; they represent fundamentally different performance profiles between the two processors.

The overall win count stands at 5-2 in favor of the AMD A12-9800E, but the magnitude of Intel’s Geekbench wins is substantial. The AMD chip’s Cinebench victories are consistent but modest, while Intel’s Geekbench victories are dominant. The average benchmark score for the Intel part is 1043, while the AMD part sits at 1033, a negligible difference of about 1%. The percentile rankings confirm this near-parity: Intel is at the 29th percentile of all CPUs, AMD at the 28th.

Looking at nearest rivals provides additional context. The Intel Core i3-4160T’s closest competitor, the Intel Pentium Gold G5620, scores 1045 with a delta of -0.2%, meaning the two are essentially tied. The AMD A12-9800E’s nearest rival, the AMD A10-9700, scores 1034 with a delta of -0.1%. Both processors sit in a crowded field where performance differences are measured in fractions of a percent.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two processors is substantial. The Intel Core i3-4160T uses the Haswell architecture on a 22nm process node, fabricated by Intel. The AMD A12-9800E uses the Excavator architecture on a 28nm node, fabricated by GlobalFoundries. The Intel chip contains 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die, while the AMD chip packs 3,100 million transistors onto a 250 mm² die.

Core configuration differs significantly. The Intel part has 2 cores and 4 threads, leveraging Hyper-Threading to double its logical processing capacity. The AMD part has 4 physical cores and 4 threads, with no simultaneous multithreading. Both run at a base clock of 3.10 GHz, but the AMD chip has a boost clock of 3.80 GHz while the Intel chip has no boost capability listed.

Cache hierarchies are completely different. The Intel Core i3-4160T features 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 3 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD A12-9800E has 320 KB of L1 total, 2 MB of L2, and no L3 cache at all. The AMD part compensates for the missing L3 with a larger L1 pool and a bigger die, but the cache strategy is fundamentally different.

Memory support also diverges. The Intel chip supports DDR3 memory, while the AMD chip supports DDR4. Both use dual-channel memory buses. The integrated graphics differ as well: Intel pairs the Core i3-4160T with Intel HD 4400, while AMD includes Radeon R7 graphics. The Intel part uses PCIe Gen 3, while the AMD part uses PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only).

The socket situation is a major differentiator. Intel uses Socket 1150, while AMD uses Socket AM4. This means platform choices are completely separate. The Intel chip was released in July 2014, while the AMD chip arrived in July 2017, a three-year gap that partially explains the architectural differences.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD A12-9800E is the clear winner in Cinebench workloads. Every single Cinebench test in the data, R15, R20, and R23, both single-core and multicore, goes to the AMD part by roughly 10%. This indicates that the four physical Excavator cores handle rendering and compute tasks effectively. The consistent 10.3-10.8% margins across all Cinebench tests suggest a stable advantage that scales with the workload.

The Intel Core i3-4160T wins decisively in Geekbench. The 21% multicore advantage and the massive 46.8% single-core advantage are the largest margins in the entire comparison. Geekbench tends to favor per-core efficiency and memory latency, areas where Haswell’s mature design excels. The Intel part’s 3 MB of shared L3 cache likely contributes to this performance.

For general desktop use, the Intel part’s strong single-core performance may translate to snappier everyday responsiveness, while the AMD part’s multicore Cinebench wins suggest better throughput in threaded productivity applications. The AMD chip’s boost clock of 3.80 GHz provides a headroom that the Intel chip lacks, which may help in burst workloads.

Gaming performance is not directly benchmarked in this data, but the integrated graphics differ: Radeon R7 on the AMD side versus Intel HD 4400 on the Intel side. The AMD part’s larger transistor count and die size suggest a more capable iGPU, though no direct numbers are available in the fact pack.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores?

A: The AMD A12-9800E has 4 physical cores, while the Intel Core i3-4160T has 2 physical cores. However, the Intel chip supports 4 threads via Hyper-Threading, matching the AMD chip’s thread count.

Q: What is the average benchmark score difference between the two?

A: The Intel Core i3-4160T has an average benchmark score of 1043, while the AMD A12-9800E scores 1033. This is a difference of approximately 1%, placing them at the 29th and 28th percentiles of all CPUs, respectively.

Q: How much faster is the Intel chip in Geekbench single-core?

A: The Intel Core i3-4160T scores 926 in Geekbench single-core, which is 46.8% higher than the AMD A12-9800E’s score of 631.

Q: What memory types do these processors support?

A: The Intel Core i3-4160T supports DDR3 memory, while the AMD A12-9800E supports DDR4. Both use dual-channel memory buses.

Q: Do both processors have integrated graphics?

A: Yes. The Intel Core i3-4160T includes Intel HD 4400, while the AMD A12-9800E includes Radeon R7 graphics.

Q: Which processor has a boost clock?

A: Only the AMD A12-9800E has a boost clock, rated at 3.80 GHz. The Intel Core i3-4160T runs at a fixed base clock of 3.10 GHz with no boost listed.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in several key specifications. The Intel Core i3-4160T uses the Haswell architecture on a 22nm process node, while the AMD A12-9800E uses Excavator on 28nm. Core counts differ: 2 cores and 4 threads for Intel, versus 4 cores and 4 threads for AMD. The AMD chip has a boost clock of 3.80 GHz; the Intel chip has none.

Cache configurations are markedly different. The Intel part has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 3 MB shared L3. The AMD part has 320 KB L1 total, 2 MB L2, and no L3 cache. Transistor counts are 1,400 million for Intel and 3,100 million for AMD. Die size is 177 mm² for Intel and 250 mm² for AMD.

The socket is different: Intel Socket 1150 for the Core i3-4160T, AMD Socket AM4 for the A12-9800E. Memory support differs, with DDR3 on the Intel side and DDR4 on the AMD side. Integrated graphics are Intel HD 4400 versus Radeon R7. PCIe configuration differs: Gen 3 on Intel, Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only) on AMD. The release dates are July 2014 for Intel and July 2017 for AMD. The AMD part has a part number (AD9800AHM44AB) while the Intel part does not list one.