AMD A8-7670K vs Intel Xeon W3570 Comparison

The recorded data places the Intel Xeon W3570 and the AMD A8-7670K in the same performance tier, both landing at the 25th percentile among all CPUs in the database. Their average benchmark scores are remarkably close, with the Intel part at 955 and the AMD part at 944. Across every measured Cinebench workload, the Xeon W3570 emerges as the winner, though the margins are consistently narrow, ranging from 1.1% to 1.3%. This is not a battle of clear dominance but rather a study in how architectural approaches from two different eras converge on nearly identical results.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Xeon W3570 records an average benchmark score of 955, while the AMD A8-7670K records 944, a difference of 11 points.

Q: How do the two chips compare in multi-core Cinebench R23 performance?

A: The Intel Xeon W3570 scores 2776, and the AMD A8-7670K scores 2745. The Intel part leads by 1.1% in this test.

Q: What is the single-core performance gap in Cinebench R20?

A: The Intel Xeon W3570 scores 164, and the AMD A8-7670K scores 162, giving the Intel part a 1.2% advantage.

Q: Which processor supports ECC memory?

A: The Intel Xeon W3570 supports ECC memory. The AMD A8-7670K does not.

Q: What are the process nodes for each processor?

A: The Intel Xeon W3570 uses a 45 nm process, while the AMD A8-7670K uses a 28 nm process.

Q: Does either processor feature integrated graphics?

A: The AMD A8-7670K includes Radeon R7 integrated graphics. The Intel Xeon W3570 has no integrated graphics.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Xeon W3570 and AMD A8-7670K represent fundamentally different design philosophies separated by six years of development. The Intel part, released in March 2009, is built on the Nehalem architecture with the Bloomfield codename, manufactured on a 45 nm process by Intel. It packs 731 million transistors into a 263 mm² die. The AMD part, released in July 2015, uses the Steamroller architecture with the Godaveri codename, built on a 28 nm process by GlobalFoundries. It contains 2,411 million transistors on a 245 mm² die, which is over three times the transistor count of the Intel chip on a slightly smaller physical area.

The core configurations differ markedly. The Xeon W3570 provides 4 cores with 8 threads, leveraging Hyper-Threading to double the logical processing units. The A8-7670K also has 4 cores but only 4 threads, meaning it processes one thread per physical core. This is a crucial distinction in multi-threaded workloads, as the Intel part can schedule twice as many threads simultaneously. However, the AMD chip compensates with higher clock speeds: a base clock of 3.60 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, compared to the Intel's 3.20 GHz base and 3.47 GHz boost.

Cache hierarchies also diverge significantly. The Intel processor uses a three-level cache structure with 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 8 MB L3 cache. The AMD processor uses a two-level structure with 256 KB of total L1 cache and 4 MB of L2 cache, with no L3 cache at all. This means the AMD chip relies on a smaller, faster cache pool, while the Intel chip has a larger shared L3 pool for data that benefits from cross-core sharing.

Memory support reflects their respective market positions. The Intel Xeon W3570 supports triple-channel DDR3 memory and includes ECC functionality, aligning with its server and workstation segment. The AMD A8-7670K supports dual-channel DDR3 with a measured memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s, and it lacks ECC support. PCIe connectivity also differs: the Intel part uses Gen 2, while the AMD part uses Gen 3 with 16 lanes on the CPU. The AMD chip is a desktop part with an unlocked multiplier, while the Intel Xeon is a locked server part.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The five recorded Cinebench tests show a consistent pattern of Intel winning every contest, but the margins are so small that they approach measurement noise. In Cinebench R15 multicore, the Xeon W3570 scores 279 against the A8-7670K's 276, a 1.1% lead. The same delta appears in Cinebench R20 multicore, where 1165 beats 1152, again a 1.1% advantage. This consistency suggests the Intel part has a slight architectural edge in multi-threaded rendering workloads, likely due to its 8 threads versus 4.

The single-core results follow the same trajectory. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Intel scores 164 against 162, a 1.2% lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the gap widens slightly to 1.3%, with 392 versus 387. Interestingly, the AMD part has a higher boost clock by 430 MHz, yet it still loses single-core performance. This indicates that the Intel Nehalem core has a higher instructions-per-clock efficiency compared to the AMD Steamroller core, despite the latter's clock speed advantage.

The multi-core results are particularly telling. The AMD A8-7670K's 4 threads versus the Intel's 8 threads would normally predict a substantial Intel victory, yet the actual margin is only 1.1%. This suggests that the AMD's higher clocks, combined with its newer 28 nm process, manage to offset much of the thread-count deficit. However, the Intel chip still wins, demonstrating that Hyper-Threading provides a real, if modest, benefit in these workloads. The overall win tally stands at 5 for the Intel Xeon W3570 and 0 for the AMD A8-7670K, but the narrow deltas mean that any user would be hard-pressed to notice the difference in everyday use.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every major specification category. The Intel Xeon W3570 is a server and workstation part, while the AMD A8-7670K targets the desktop market. Their sockets are incompatible: Intel Socket 1366 for the Xeon, AMD Socket FM2+ for the A8. The Intel part has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the AMD has 4 cores and 4 threads. Clock speeds favor AMD, with a base of 3.60 GHz and boost of 3.90 GHz versus Intel's 3.20 GHz and 3.47 GHz.

Power consumption favors the AMD part, which has a TDP of 95 W compared to the Intel's 130 W, and this lower power draw comes despite the AMD's higher transistor count and newer process. The process nodes differ significantly: 45 nm for Intel, 28 nm for AMD. Transistor counts are 731 million and 2,411 million respectively, and die sizes are 263 mm² and 245 mm². Cache configurations are entirely different, with Intel using a per-core L1 and L2 plus shared L3, and AMD using a pooled L1 and L2 with no L3.

Memory support shows Intel with triple-channel DDR3 and ECC capability, while AMD has dual-channel DDR3 with a specified bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s and no ECC. PCIe versions differ, with Intel on Gen 2 and AMD on Gen 3 with 16 CPU lanes. The AMD part includes integrated Radeon R7 graphics and has an unlocked multiplier, whereas the Intel part has no integrated graphics and a locked multiplier. Release dates place the Intel chip in March 2009 and the AMD chip in July 2015, and both are end-of-life products.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear, if narrow, verdict: the Intel Xeon W3570 wins every benchmark in this comparison. Across five Cinebench tests, it holds a minimum advantage of 1.1% and a maximum of 1.3%. The average benchmark score of 955 versus 944 reinforces this edge. Users seeking the highest recorded Cinebench scores should choose the Intel part, even though the practical difference is minimal.

However, the AMD A8-7670K offers its own set of advantages that are not reflected in the benchmark scores. Its 95 W TDP is significantly lower than the Intel's 130 W, which may be relevant for systems with stricter thermal or power constraints. The AMD part also includes integrated Radeon R7 graphics, which the Intel chip lacks entirely. For a desktop build that requires a display output without a discrete graphics card, the AMD part is the only option of the two. The unlocked multiplier on the AMD chip provides overclocking flexibility, while the Intel part is locked.

The choice depends on the workload and system requirements. For pure processing performance as measured by Cinebench, the Intel Xeon W3570 is the winner, with the added benefits of ECC memory support and triple-channel memory bandwidth, both suited to server and workstation tasks. The AMD A8-7670K is better suited to a desktop environment where integrated graphics, lower power consumption, and an unlocked multiplier for potential tuning are more valuable than a 1.1% to 1.3% performance margin. The data shows that the Intel part is technically faster, but the AMD part is a more versatile desktop solution.