AMD A8-6600K vs Intel Core i5-680 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded data splits these two desktop processors along clear lines of workload type. The Intel Core i5-680 shows its strongest results in single-threaded rendering tasks, where its higher per-core efficiency and boost behavior carry it ahead. The AMD A8-6600K, by contrast, delivers its best showing in multi-threaded and memory-bandwidth-sensitive workloads, leveraging its four physical cores and wider memory pipeline.

Looking at the benchmark suite available in the database, the Intel part wins all five Cinebench tests. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 316 versus 451 for the AMD part (in Geekbench single-core, which is a different test family) is not directly comparable, but within the Cinebench family the Intel chip leads decisively. The AMD A8-6600K only appears in Geekbench tests, where it posts a multi-core score of 1076 and a single-core score of 451. There is no overlap in the benchmark tests between the two processors, so direct head-to-head comparisons must rely on the average benchmark scores and percentile rankings.

The average benchmark score tells a close story: the Intel Core i5-680 averages 772 points, while the AMD A8-6600K averages 764 points. That is a 1.0% gap in favor of Intel. In percentile terms, the Intel part sits at the 21st percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the AMD part sits at the 20th percentile. Both are firmly in the lower-middle range of the overall CPU population.

For use-case selection, the data suggests the Intel Core i5-680 is the better pick for lightly threaded applications such as older games, office productivity, or any task where single-core speed dominates. The AMD A8-6600K is the stronger option for workloads that scale across multiple cores, such as video encoding, compilation, or multitasking environments, provided the software can utilize four threads. The AMD part also has an unlocked multiplier, which the Intel part lacks, meaning the AMD chip can be overclocked by the user to extend its performance envelope.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural lineages and different foundries. The Intel Core i5-680 is built on the Westmere architecture, specifically the Clarkdale codename, using a 32 nm process at Intel's own foundry. It integrates 382 million transistors on an 81 mm² die. The AMD A8-6600K uses the Piledriver architecture under the Richland codename, also on a 32 nm process, but fabricated by GlobalFoundries. AMD's chip packs 1,303 million transistors across a 246 mm² die, which is more than three times the transistor count and three times the die area of the Intel part.

Core and thread counts differ significantly. The Intel Core i5-680 has 2 physical cores and 4 threads through Hyper-Threading. The AMD A8-6600K has 4 physical cores and 4 threads, with no SMT equivalent. This means the AMD chip has twice the physical core count, while the Intel chip relies on simultaneous multithreading to reach the same thread count. In purely multi-threaded workloads, the AMD part's four independent cores can be an advantage, but in single-threaded tasks, the Intel architecture's higher efficiency per clock tends to prevail.

Clock speeds also differ. The Intel part runs at a 3.60 GHz base clock with a 3.87 GHz boost clock. The AMD part runs at a 3.90 GHz base clock with a 4.20 GHz boost clock. Despite the AMD chip's higher clocks, the Intel part still wins the Cinebench tests in the database, indicating that architectural efficiency matters more than raw clock speed in these workloads.

Cache hierarchies are structured differently. The Intel Core i5-680 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD A8-6600K has 192 KB of L1 cache total, 4 MB of L2 cache total, and no L3 cache. The Intel part's L3 cache provides a shared pool for all threads, while the AMD part relies entirely on its larger L2. In memory bandwidth, the AMD part claims 29.9 GB/s versus 21.3 GB/s for Intel, a 40% advantage for AMD that can help in memory-intensive workloads.

Integrated graphics also differ. The Intel Core i5-680 includes Intel HD graphics, while the AMD A8-6600K includes a Radeon HD 8570D. The database does not provide benchmark scores for either integrated GPU, so no performance comparison can be made. Both processors support DDR3 memory in a dual-channel configuration, and neither supports ECC memory. The Intel part uses PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the AMD part uses PCIe Gen 2 without a lane count specified.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The database shows no overlapping benchmark tests between the Intel Core i5-680 and the AMD A8-6600K. The Intel part has results only in the Cinebench family (R15, R20, R23), while the AMD part has results only in the Geekbench family. This means a direct test-by-test comparison is impossible from the recorded data. Instead, the average benchmark scores provide the only apples-to-apples metric.

The Intel Core i5-680 averages 772 points across its benchmark suite. The AMD A8-6600K averages 764 points. The delta is 8 points, or roughly 1.0% in Intel's favor. Looking at the nearest rivals in the database, the Intel part sits between the Intel Core i7-3687U (773 points, 0.1% higher) and the Intel Celeron G5920 (775 points, 0.4% higher). The AMD part sits between the Intel Core i7-3537U (766 points, 0.3% higher) and the Intel Core i3-3240 (761 points, 0.5% lower).

The Cinebench scores for the Intel part show a consistent pattern of scaling. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 226. In Cinebench R20 multi-core, it scores 942, and in Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 2243. Single-core scores in R20 and R23 are 132 and 316, respectively. These numbers indicate that the Intel part's multi-core performance scales roughly linearly with the test's increasing workload, which is typical for a dual-core with Hyper-Threading.

For the AMD part, the Geekbench multi-core score of 1076 versus a single-core score of 451 yields a multi-core scaling factor of about 2.4x. That is below the theoretical 4x scaling one might expect from four physical cores, suggesting that the Piledriver architecture experiences some efficiency loss when all cores are active. The Intel part's scaling in Cinebench R23 (multi-core 2243 versus single-core 316, roughly 7.1x) is not directly comparable due to different test methodologies, but it indicates that Hyper-Threading on the Intel part extracts substantial additional throughput.

The percentile rankings confirm the close overall positioning: 21st percentile for Intel versus 20th for AMD. Both parts are near the bottom quartile of all CPUs in the database, which reflects their age and modest core counts relative to modern processors.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The AMD A8-6600K has 4 physical cores, while the Intel Core i5-680 has 2 physical cores. Both have 4 threads, but the Intel part uses Hyper-Threading to reach that count.

Q: Do both processors support overclocking?

A: No. The AMD A8-6600K has an unlocked multiplier, meaning it can be overclocked by the user. The Intel Core i5-680 has a locked multiplier, so it cannot be overclocked in the traditional sense.

Q: Which processor has the higher clock speed?

A: The AMD A8-6600K runs at a 3.90 GHz base clock and boosts to 4.20 GHz. The Intel Core i5-680 runs at a 3.60 GHz base clock and boosts to 3.87 GHz. The AMD part is higher in both metrics.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two?

A: The AMD A8-6600K supports 29.9 GB/s of memory bandwidth, while the Intel Core i5-680 supports 21.3 GB/s. Both use dual-channel DDR3.

Q: Which processor has a larger die and more transistors?

A: The AMD A8-6600K has a 246 mm² die with 1,303 million transistors. The Intel Core i5-680 has an 81 mm² die with 382 million transistors. The AMD part is significantly larger in both respects.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core i5-680 averages 772 points across its benchmark suite, while the AMD A8-6600K averages 764 points. The Intel part is about 1.0% ahead in average score.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i5-680 | AMD A8-6600K |

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

| Cores | 2 | 4 |

| Threads | 4 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 3.60 GHz | 3.90 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.87 GHz | 4.20 GHz |

| TDP | 73 W | 100 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1156 | AMD Socket FM2 |

| Architecture | Westmere | Piledriver |

| Codename | Clarkdale | Richland |

| Process Node | 32 nm | 32 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | GlobalFoundries |

| Transistors | 382 million | 1,303 million |

| Die Size | 81 mm² | 246 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 64 KB (per core) | 192 KB |

| L2 Cache | 256 KB (per core) | 4 MB |

| L3 Cache | 4 MB (shared) | None |

| Memory Bandwidth | 21.3 GB/s | 29.9 GB/s |

| PCIe Version | Gen 2, 16 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 2 |

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD | Radeon HD 8570D |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | Yes |

| Release Date | 2010-04-18 | 2013-05-31 |

| Launch MSRP | $294 | Not recorded |

| Part Number | SLBTM | AD660KWOHLBOXAD660KWOA44HL |

| Average Benchmark Score | 772 | 764 |

| Percentile vs All CPUs | 21 | 20 |

The TDP difference is notable: the AMD part draws 100 W versus 73 W for the Intel part, a 37% increase in power envelope. This is consistent with the AMD part's higher clock speeds and larger die. Both processors are end-of-life products, and both target the desktop market segment. The Intel part was released in April 2010, while the AMD part was released in May 2013, a gap of just over three years. The AMD part's launch MSRP is not recorded in the database, while the Intel part had a launch MSRP of $294.

In terms of cache, the Intel part provides 4 MB of shared L3 cache, which the AMD part lacks entirely. The AMD part compensates with a larger L2 pool of 4 MB, but this is not shared across cores in the same way. The Intel part's per-core L1 and L2 caches are smaller, but the shared L3 provides a unified pool for all threads. The AMD part's memory bandwidth advantage of 29.9 GB/s versus 21.3 GB/s may help in workloads that stream large amounts of data, but the benchmark data does not isolate this effect.

Neither processor supports ECC memory. Both use DDR3 memory in a dual-channel configuration. The Intel part's PCIe implementation is specified as Gen 2 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while the AMD part is simply listed as Gen 2 without lane details. Both integrated graphics solutions are present, but no benchmark scores are available for either. The overall assessment from the recorded data is that these two processors are closely matched in average performance, with the Intel part holding a slim edge in the database's aggregate metric despite having half the physical core count.