CPU Comparison

The AMD A12-9800E and Intel Xeon E5620 are two very different processors that nevertheless land at nearly the same performance tier. The AMD part is a 4-core, 4-thread desktop APU built for efficiency, while the Intel is a 4-core, 8-thread server/workstation chip from an older generation. Despite their architectural and chronological gaps, the benchmark data places them as direct competitors, with the Xeon taking a narrow but consistent lead across every tested workload.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results are remarkably one-sided, though the margins are small. The Intel Xeon E5620 wins all five benchmark comparisons, but never by more than 1.7%. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Xeon scores 301 against the A12-9800E’s 297, a delta of -1.3% for the AMD part. The same pattern repeats in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the Xeon posts 1255 versus 1239, again a 1.3% gap. Cinebench R23 multi-core shows the closest relative spread: 2989 for the Intel against 2950 for the AMD, still a 1.3% difference.

Single-core results follow the same script. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Xeon’s 177 edges out the AMD’s 174, a 1.7% margin. Cinebench R23 single-core sees the Xeon at 422 and the AMD at 416, a 1.4% gap. These are not the kind of decisive victories that change purchasing decisions; they are more like statistical noise than a real performance hierarchy. The average benchmark scores tell a similar story: the AMD A12-9800E sits at 1033, while the Intel Xeon E5620 is at 1029, meaning the AMD actually has a slightly higher average despite losing every head-to-head test. This apparent contradiction is explained by the fact that the AMD has additional Geekbench results (1521 multi-core, 631 single-core) that are not part of the head-to-head set, pulling its average up.

The percentile ranking offers another lens: both chips land at the 28th percentile compared to all CPUs. That places them in the same broad performance class, well below mainstream modern parts but perfectly usable for basic tasks. The nearest rivals for the AMD include the AMD A10-9700 (average score 1034, delta -0.1%) and the Intel Pentium G4560 (1031, delta 0.2%); for the Intel, the same Pentium G4560 appears with a -0.2% delta, along with the AMD Ryzen Embedded V1202B (1027, delta 0.2%) and Intel Core i7-5650U (1027, delta 0.2%). Both chips are effectively interchangeable in raw compute performance.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Xeon E5620 wins every single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, but the margins are so slim that “winning” is a technicality rather than a practical advantage. In multi-threaded workloads, the Xeon’s 8 threads give it a theoretical edge over the AMD’s 4 threads, yet the Cinebench multi-core results show only 1.3% differences. This suggests the AMD’s higher clock speeds compensate for its lack of simultaneous multithreading. The AMD A12-9800E boosts up to 3.80 GHz versus the Xeon’s 2.67 GHz maximum, which helps explain why the thread-count advantage does not translate into a larger score gap.

For single-threaded performance, the Xeon again leads, but by 1.4-1.7%. This is surprising given the AMD’s much higher clock speed. The Westmere architecture’s superior per-clock efficiency appears to offset the clock deficit. In practical terms, neither chip offers a meaningful edge in either category, the differences are within a margin that most users would never notice.

The AMD does carve out a niche in one area: integrated graphics. The A12-9800E includes a Radeon R7 iGPU, while the Xeon E5620 has none. This means the AMD can power a display without a discrete graphics card, making it a complete desktop solution. The Xeon requires a separate GPU, which is typical for a server/workstation part. Power consumption is another differentiator: the AMD is rated at 35W TDP versus the Intel’s 80W, so the AMD uses less than half the power envelope.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and design philosophies. The AMD A12-9800E uses the Excavator architecture on a 28 nm process, built by GlobalFoundries. It is a Bristol Ridge generation part, which is the last of the Excavator-based desktop APUs. The chip packs 3,100 million transistors into a 250 mm² die. Its cache layout is modest: 320 KB of L1 and 2 MB of L2, with no L3 cache at all. That lack of L3 is a significant handicap for modern workloads that rely on large shared caches.

The Intel Xeon E5620 uses the Westmere architecture on a 32 nm process, fabricated by Intel itself. It belongs to the Westmere-EP generation, which was designed for servers and workstations. The die is 239 mm² and contains 1,170 million transistors, less than half the transistor count of the AMD, yet the Intel still manages to match or slightly exceed it in performance. The cache hierarchy is very different: the Xeon has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, but crucially it has 12 MB of shared L3 cache. That large L3 pool is a major architectural advantage for multi-threaded workloads and helps explain the Xeon’s consistent, if narrow, wins.

Memory support also diverges sharply. The AMD uses dual-channel DDR4, while the Intel uses triple-channel DDR3. The AMD supports ECC memory only as a negative, it does not support ECC at all, whereas the Xeon explicitly supports ECC. PCIe connectivity differs too: the AMD has PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel has PCIe Gen 2. The Intel’s older PCIe standard and lack of integrated graphics are clear signs of its server heritage. The AMD’s socket is AM4, a modern platform, while the Intel uses Socket 1366, a legacy interface.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The Intel Xeon E5620 has 8 threads across 4 cores, while the AMD A12-9800E has 4 threads across 4 cores.

Q: Does either chip have integrated graphics?

A: Only the AMD A12-9800E includes integrated graphics (Radeon R7). The Intel Xeon E5620 has no integrated graphics, so it requires a separate GPU.

Q: What is the performance difference in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The Intel Xeon E5620 scores 2989 versus the AMD A12-9800E’s 2950, a 1.3% difference in favor of the Intel.

Q: Which chip supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Xeon E5620 supports ECC memory. The AMD A12-9800E does not support ECC.

Q: What are the TDP ratings?

A: The AMD A12-9800E is rated at 35W, while the Intel Xeon E5620 is rated at 80W.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD has an average benchmark score of 1033, and the Intel has 1029. Both sit at the 28th percentile of all CPUs.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD A12-9800E | Intel Xeon E5620 |

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

| Threads | 4 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 3.10 GHz | 2.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.80 GHz | 2.67 GHz |

| TDP | 35W | 80W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | Intel Socket 1366 |

| Architecture | Excavator | Westmere |

| Codename | Bristol Ridge | Westmere-EP |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 32 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Intel |

| Transistors | 3,100 million | 1,170 million |

| Die Size | 250 mm² | 239 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 320 KB | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | None | 12 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR3 |

| Memory Bus | Dual-channel | Triple-channel |

| ECC Memory | No | Yes |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 8 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 2 |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon R7 | None |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Server/Workstation |

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

| Release Date | 2017-07-26 | 2010-03-15 |

| Part Number | AD9800AHM44AB | SLBV4 |

The Verdict

The data presents a clear but narrow verdict: the Intel Xeon E5620 wins every head-to-head benchmark, but the margins are so small that they are unlikely to matter in real-world use. The Xeon’s 8 threads and 12 MB of L3 cache give it a structural advantage in multi-threaded scenarios, yet the AMD’s higher clocks and newer process nearly close the gap. If the choice is purely about raw compute scores, the Intel is the winner, but only by 1.3-1.7% across the board.

For a user building a low-power desktop, the AMD A12-9800E is the more practical option. Its 35W TDP, integrated Radeon R7 graphics, and active production status make it a viable modern choice for basic computing. The Xeon E5620, being end-of-life with an 80W TDP and no iGPU, demands a discrete graphics card and a legacy Socket 1366 platform. Its only advantages are ECC memory support and a slight lead in every benchmark, which may appeal to someone running a small server or workstation with error-correcting memory requirements.

The average benchmark scores complicate the picture: the AMD actually has a higher average (1033 vs 1029) because its Geekbench results are not part of the head-to-head set. This suggests that in some workloads, particularly those that favor higher clocks, the AMD could pull ahead. The nearest rival data reinforces the idea that both chips are peers of the Intel Pentium G4560, which appears in both lists with nearly identical scores. Ultimately, the Intel Xeon E5620 is the benchmark winner, but the AMD A12-9800E is the more complete and efficient package for a desktop system. Those who need ECC memory or maximum thread count should choose the Xeon; everyone else should consider the AMD for its lower power draw and built-in graphics.