AMD A8-7650K vs Intel Core i5-3360M Comparison

The Verdict

The data paints a clear split between these two processors. The AMD A8-7650K wins five of the seven head-to-head benchmarks, mostly in Cinebench workloads, while the Intel Core i5-3360M takes the remaining two in Geekbench. If your priority is multi-threaded rendering in Cinebench, the AMD part is the stronger choice, with scores ranging from 7.1% to 7.5% ahead of the Intel chip across all Cinebench tests. The Intel i5-3360M, however, delivers a decisive 23% advantage in Geekbench single-core performance, which points to better responsiveness in lightly threaded tasks.

The average benchmark scores tell a similar story. The AMD A8-7650K sits at 860 average, while the Intel i5-3360M scores 835. That is a 3% gap in favor of the AMD part, and the percentile rankings agree: the A8-7650K lands at the 23rd percentile of all CPUs, one point above the i5-3360M at the 22nd percentile. The AMD chip also offers an unlocked multiplier, meaning it can be overclocked, while the Intel mobile chip is locked. For a desktop builder who wants tuning headroom and slightly better rendering throughput, the AMD A8-7650K is the pick. For a laptop user or anyone prioritizing single-thread speed, the Intel i5-3360M has the edge.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i5-3360M is built on Intel's 22 nm Ivy Bridge architecture and uses a dual-core layout with Hyper-Threading, giving it 2 physical cores and 4 threads. The AMD A8-7650K uses GlobalFoundries' 28 nm process and the Steamroller architecture (Kaveri codename), with 4 physical cores and 4 threads, so it does not rely on simultaneous multithreading to reach its thread count.

The die size difference is substantial. The Intel chip measures 118 mm², while the AMD die is 245 mm², more than double the area. The AMD part also packs 2,411 million transistors, a figure not listed for the Intel chip. Cache configurations differ too: the i5-3360M has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 3 MB L3 cache. The A8-7650K has 256 KB of L1 total and 4 MB of L2, with no L3 cache at all. That means the Intel chip relies on a shared L3 pool, while the AMD chip uses a larger unified L2.

Integrated graphics also separate the two. The Intel i5-3360M carries Intel HD 4000 graphics, while the AMD A8-7650K includes a Radeon R7 iGPU. The AMD chip supports DDR3 memory and lists a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s, while the Intel side lists only dual-channel memory support without a bandwidth figure. PCIe support is documented only for the AMD part, which offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The AMD chip is also marked as end-of-life in production status, while the Intel part has no such designation.

Market positioning differs as well. The Intel i5-3360M is a mobile processor on the Intel BGA 1023 socket with a 35 W TDP, while the AMD A8-7650K is a desktop part on Socket FM2+ with a 95 W TDP. The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier, making it overclockable, which is typical for the K-series suffix. The Intel chip does not offer that flexibility.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD A8-7650K scores 2647 versus 2451 for the Intel i5-3360M, a 7.4% advantage for the AMD chip.

Q: Is the Intel i5-3360M better in any benchmark?

A: Yes, the Intel chip wins Geekbench multi-core with 1110 versus 1048 (5.9% ahead) and Geekbench single-core with 518 versus 421 (23% ahead).

Q: Can the AMD A8-7650K be overclocked?

A: Yes, the AMD part has an unlocked multiplier. The Intel i5-3360M does not.

Q: Which chip has more physical cores?

A: The AMD A8-7650K has 4 physical cores, while the Intel i5-3360M has 2 physical cores with 4 threads via Hyper-Threading.

Q: What are the TDP differences?

A: The Intel i5-3360M is rated at 35 W, while the AMD A8-7650K is rated at 95 W. The Intel chip is designed for mobile use on the Intel BGA 1023 socket, while the AMD chip is a desktop part on Socket FM2+.

Q: How do their overall average scores compare?

A: The AMD A8-7650K averages 860 across all benchmarks, while the Intel i5-3360M averages 835. The AMD part also sits at the 23rd percentile of all CPUs versus the 22nd percentile for the Intel chip.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. The Intel i5-3360M has 2 cores and 4 threads, while the AMD A8-7650K has 4 cores and 4 threads. Base clocks are 2.80 GHz for the Intel chip versus 3.30 GHz for the AMD chip, and boost clocks are 3.50 GHz versus 3.80 GHz respectively. TDP is dramatically different: 35 W for the Intel mobile part, 95 W for the AMD desktop part.

Sockets and platforms are incompatible. The Intel chip uses Intel BGA 1023, while the AMD chip uses AMD Socket FM2+. The process nodes differ as well: 22 nm for Intel versus 28 nm for AMD. Die size is 118 mm² for the Intel part and 245 mm² for the AMD part, with the AMD chip listing 2,411 million transistors and the Intel chip listing no transistor count.

Cache hierarchies are entirely different. The Intel i5-3360M has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 3 MB shared L3 shared across the chip. The AMD A8-7650K has 256 KB L1 total, 4 MB L2 total, and no L3 cache. Memory bandwidth is listed only for the AMD part, which supports DDR3 at 34.1 GB/s with dual-channel support. The Intel chip lists dual-channel memory support but no bandwidth number.

Integrated graphics are Intel HD 4000 for the Intel chip and Radeon R7 iGPU for the AMD chip. PCIe support is listed only for the AMD part, which offers Gen 4 lanes, 16 lanes from the CPU. The AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel chip does not. Release dates place the Intel part at 2012-05-05-31, while the AMD A8-7650K arrived on 2015-01-01-06. The AMD chip is marked as end-of-life. Neither chip has a launch MSRP in the database.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD A8-7650K dominates the Cinebench suite. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD chip scores 266 against the Intel chip's 246, a 7.5% lead. Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 1111 versus 1029, a 7.4% gap. Cinebench R23 multi-core follows the same pattern: 2647 versus 2451, again 7.4%. Even in single-core Cinebench tests, the AMD chip wins. Cinebench R20 single-core is 156 versus 145, a 7.1% advantage, and Cinebench R23 single-core is 373 versus 346, a 7.2% lead. The consistency across all five Cinebench tests suggests a fundamental throughput advantage for the AMD part in this rendering workload, driven by its four physical cores and higher clock speeds.

The Intel i5-3360M fights back in Geekbench. In Geekbench multi-core, the Intel chip scores 1110 versus 1048 for the AMD part, a 5.9% win. The single-core Geekbench result is the largest margin in the entire comparison: 518 versus 421, a 23% advantage for the Intel chip. That is a massive gap, more than three times larger than any of the AMD chip's Cinebench wins. The Intel architecture clearly excels at this particular single-threaded workload, despite running at lower base and boost clocks than the AMD part.

The win counts reflect the split: the AMD A8-7650K takes 5 wins, while the Intel i5-3360M takes 2. The average scores align with the win count, as the AMD chip's 860 average edges out the Intel chip's 835. The nearest rivals for each chip reinforce their positioning. The AMD A8-7650K sits within 0.4% of the Intel Core i5-2500T (856) and 0.1% of the Intel Core i7-4500U (859), while the Intel i5-3360M sits within 0.5% of the Intel Xeon X5470 (839) and 0.2% of the Intel Xeon X3450 (837).

Where Each One Wins

The AMD A8-7650K is the clear winner in Cinebench rendering workloads. It outperforms the Intel i5-3360M by roughly 7% across every Cinebench variant, both multi-core and single-core. This makes it the better choice for tasks that resemble Cinebench's rendering and 3D workload patterns. The four physical cores and higher clock speeds (3.30 GHz base, 3.80 GHz boost) give it a consistent edge in these compute-heavy scenarios. The unlocked multiplier adds further potential, since the chip can be pushed beyond stock settings, though the database does not record overclocked results. The AMD chip is also the better overall performer by average score (860 versus 835) and percentile rank (23rd versus 22nd).

The Intel i5-3360M wins where single-threaded efficiency matters most. Its 23% lead in Geekbench single-core is the largest margin in any test, and it also takes Geekbench multi-core by 5.9%. The Intel chip achieves this despite lower clocks (2.87 GHz base, 3.50 GHz boost) and only 2 physical cores, relying on Hyper-Threading to reach 4 threads. Its 35 W TDP makes it far more suitable for thermally constrained environments like laptops on the Intel BGA 1023 socket. For users who prioritize Geekbench-style workloads or need a mobile-friendly power envelope, the Intel i5-3360M is the stronger option by a meaningful margin in single-thread performance.

The practical takeaway: choose the AMD A8-7650K for rendering throughput, overclocking headroom, and a higher average benchmark score. Choose the Intel i5-3360M for single-thread speed, especially in Geekbench, and for mobile deployments where the 35 W TDP is a critical constraint. The two chips serve different sockets, different power classes, and different market segments, so the right pick depends entirely on which workload pattern matches your use case.