AMD A8-7670K vs Intel Core i7-870 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD A8-7670K wins every recorded benchmark in this comparison. The margin is narrow but consistent across all five Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the A8-7670K scores 276 against the Intel Core i7-870's 271, a 1.8% lead. The R20 multicore test shows the same pattern: 1152 versus 1132, again a 1.8% advantage for AMD.

Single-core results follow the same trend. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the A8-7670K posts 162 while the i7-870 manages 159, a 1.9% gap. The R23 single-core test shows 387 against 380, a 1.8% difference. The R23 multicore result mirrors this at 2745 versus 2697, another 1.8% edge for the AMD part.

The data shows a clean sweep: 5 wins for AMD, 0 for Intel. Every delta sits between 1.8% and 1.9%, indicating the two chips operate in essentially the same performance band. The A8-7670K's higher base clock of 3.60 GHz and boost clock of 3.90 GHz likely contribute to its edge over the i7-870's 2.93 GHz base and 3.60 GHz boost. However, the i7-870 brings 8 threads to the table versus the A8-7670K's 4, which normally helps in multithreaded workloads. Despite that thread advantage, the AMD part still comes out ahead in every multicore test.

The average benchmark score reinforces the closeness: the A8-7670K averages 944 across all tests, while the i7-870 averages 928. That is a raw difference of 16 points, or roughly 1.7%. Both processors sit at the 25th percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they occupy the same tier of overall performance.

The Verdict

For anyone choosing strictly on benchmark results, the AMD A8-7670K is the better performer. It wins every recorded test, albeit by a small margin. The consistency of the 1.8% to 1.9% deltas across single-core and multicore workloads means the A8-7670K holds a slight but reliable edge in both lightly threaded and heavily threaded scenarios.

The Intel Core i7-870 is not a bad choice; it trails by less than 2% in all tests. But the data offers no scenario where the i7-870 wins. If the decision comes down to measured performance alone, the A8-7670K is the pick. The i7-870's 8 threads do not translate into a victory in any Cinebench workload, which suggests the older Nehalem architecture cannot fully exploit its thread count against the newer Steamroller design.

The i7-870's only advantage lies in what the benchmarks do not show. It has a larger L3 cache (8 MB shared versus no L3 on the A8-7670K), and it uses a more power-efficient process node in terms of transistor density, though both have a 95 W TDP. But for raw Cinebench scores, the A8-7670K is the winner.

Where Each One Wins

AMD A8-7670K wins in:

• Cinebench R15 multicore: 276 versus 271
• Cinebench R20 multicore: 1152 versus 1132
• Cinebench R20 single-core: 162 versus 159
• Cinebench R23 multicore: 2745 versus 2697
• Cinebench R23 single-core: 387 versus 380

Intel Core i7-870 wins in:

• No recorded benchmark

The A8-7670K also offers integrated Radeon R7 graphics, which the i7-870 lacks entirely. That makes the AMD chip a more complete package for a system without a discrete GPU. The i7-870 requires a separate graphics card, while the A8-7670K can output video on its own.

The i7-870 does have a larger L3 cache (8 MB shared), which can benefit certain workloads that repeatedly access a working set larger than 4 MB. But the Cinebench results do not reflect any such advantage. The A8-7670K's 4 MB L2 cache and higher clocks appear sufficient to keep it ahead.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher single-core score?

A: The AMD A8-7670K. It scores 162 in Cinebench R20 single-core and 387 in R23 single-core, while the Intel Core i7-870 scores 159 and 380, respectively.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-870 ever beat the A8-7670K in any benchmark?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows 5 wins for the AMD A8-7670K and 0 wins for the Intel Core i7-870 across all recorded Cinebench tests.

Q: How large is the performance gap between the two?

A: The A8-7670K leads by 1.8% in most tests and 1.9% in one. The average benchmark score difference is 944 versus 928, about 1.7%.

Q: Does the i7-870's 8 threads help it in multicore tests?

A: No. Despite having 8 threads versus the A8-7670K's 4, the i7-870 still loses every multicore test. The R15 multicore result is 276 versus 271, and R20 multicore is 1152 versus 1132.

Q: Which processor has integrated graphics?

A: Only the AMD A8-7670K, which includes Radeon R7 graphics. The Intel Core i7-870 has no integrated graphics.

Q: Are both processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both sit at the 25th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from different architectural generations. The AMD A8-7670K uses the Steamroller architecture with the Godaveri codename, built on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The Intel Core i7-870 uses the Nehalem architecture with the Lynnfield codename, built on a 45 nm process at Intel. The process node difference is significant: 28 nm versus 45 nm means AMD packs more transistors in a smaller area.

Transistor counts tell the story. The A8-7670K contains 2,411 million transistors on a 245 mm² die. The i7-870 has 774 million transistors on a 296 mm² die. Despite the larger physical die, the Intel chip has less than a third of the transistor count. This reflects the architectural and process differences.

Cache layouts differ substantially. The A8-7670K has 256 KB of L1 cache and 4 MB of L2 cache, with no L3 cache. The i7-870 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part's L3 cache is its main structural advantage, providing a large shared pool for all cores.

The A8-7670K supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The i7-870 uses PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes. The AMD chip also has an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel part is locked. Both support DDR3 memory in dual-channel configuration, but the A8-7670K lists a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s, while the i7-870's bandwidth is not recorded.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD A8-7670K | Intel Core i7-870 |

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

| Cores | 4 | 4 |

| Threads | 4 | 8 |

| Base clock | 3.60 GHz | 2.93 GHz |

| Boost clock | 3.90 GHz | 3.60 GHz |

| Process node | 28 nm | 45 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Intel |

| Transistors | 2,411 million | 774 million |

| Die size | 245 mm² | 296 mm² |

| L1 cache | 256 KB | 64 KB (per core) |

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

| L3 cache | None | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory bandwidth | 34.1 GB/s | Not recorded |

| PCIe version | Gen 3 | Gen 2 |

| Integrated graphics | Radeon R7 | None |

| Socket | AMD Socket FM2+ | Intel Socket 1156 |

| Multiplier unlocked | Yes | No |

| Release date | 2015-07-19 | 2009-09-07 |

The release dates show a six-year gap between the two. The i7-870 launched in September 2009, while the A8-7670K arrived in July 2015. Both are now end-of-life products. The A8-7670K's integrated Radeon R7 graphics is a major functional difference, as the i7-870 requires a discrete GPU. The unlocked multiplier on the AMD part allows user overclocking, while the Intel chip is locked. Both share a 95 W TDP and use DDR3 memory.