AMD A8-7680 vs Intel Core i5-6350HQ Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data tells a remarkably consistent story: the Intel Core i5-6350HQ wins every single head-to-head comparison against the AMD A8-7680, and it does so by nearly identical margins across all five tested workloads. The largest gaps appear in multi-threaded Cinebench tests, where the Intel part's 4-core, 4-thread Skylake architecture proves decisively faster than AMD's Excavator-based design.

Starting with Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Intel i5-6350HQ scores 364 versus the AMD A8-7680's 303, a 20.1% advantage. That margin is essentially reproduced in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where Intel leads 1518 to 1264, again a 20.1% gap. The pattern holds in R23 multi-core: Intel scores 3616, AMD scores 3011, a 20.1% difference. These near-identical deltas across three generations of Cinebench suggest the performance gap is structural rather than workload-dependent—the Intel chip simply executes more work per clock cycle, and its 14 nm process gives it a significant efficiency edge over AMD's 28 nm node.

Single-core performance shows the same story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, Intel posts 214 against AMD's 178, a 20.2% lead. Cinebench R23 single-core sees Intel at 510 versus AMD's 425, a 20% advantage. The consistency is striking: every single benchmark in the head-to-head table lands within a 20.0% to 20.2% delta. This uniformity strongly indicates that the Intel architecture's advantage is fundamental—it is not a matter of one benchmark favoring a particular feature, but rather a baseline throughput superiority that scales across all thread counts and rendering loads.

Notably, the AMD A8-7680 does not win a single benchmark in this comparison. The head-to-head table shows 5 wins for Intel and 0 for AMD. While the AMD part has a higher base clock (3.50 GHz versus 2.30 GHz) and boost clock (3.80 GHz versus 3.20 GHz), those clock advantages cannot overcome the architectural gap. The i5-6350HQ's Skylake core design delivers substantially more instructions per clock, and its 6 MB of shared L3 cache dwarfs the A8-7680's 2 MB L2-only setup.

Looking at broader context, the Intel i5-6350HQ sits at the 29th percentile of all CPUs, while the AMD A8-7680 sits at the 28th percentile—remarkably close positions in the global rankings. The average benchmark score for Intel is 1046, while AMD's is 1036, a difference of 10 points (about 1%). This near-parity in overall standing, despite Intel's clean sweep in these specific tests, reflects the fact that these CPUs occupy a similar performance tier overall, even though the head-to-head tests favor Intel overwhelmingly.

The Verdict

The data points to a clear conclusion: the Intel Core i5-6350HQ is the faster processor in essentially every compute scenario measured here. If your priority is raw rendering performance in Cinebench-style workloads, Intel wins by a consistent 20% margin across the board. The architecture's efficiency on a 14 nm process, combined with a larger 6 MB L3 cache, delivers a decisive throughput advantage over AMD's older 28 nm Excavator design.

However, the verdict is not entirely one-sided when you consider the full picture. The AMD A8-7680's higher clock speeds (3.50 GHz base, 3.80 GHz boost) do not translate into a win here, but the two CPUs are extremely close in overall percentile ranking (29th versus 28th). The average benchmark scores differ by only 10 points out of roughly 1040. For workloads not covered in these specific tests, the gap could plausibly narrow, though the data cannot confirm that speculation.

For a mobile user, the Intel i5-6350HQ is the obvious pick. It is a mobile-segment chip with a 45W TDP, and it offers integrated Iris Pro 580 graphics, which is a superior iGPU solution compared to the Radeon R7 found in the AMD part. The Intel chip targets laptops and portable systems where its combination of CPU performance and graphics capability matters.

For a desktop user, the AMD A8-7680 remains a functional choice. It is an active production part with a desktop market segment, built for the FM2+ socket. Its 45W TDP matches Intel's, and its Radeon R7 integrated graphics provide adequate visual output for basic use. The AMD chip also has a higher boost clock (3.80 GHz), which could help in lightly threaded tasks, even if the benchmark data does not show it winning any of the tested workloads.

The recommendation is straightforward: choose the Intel Core i5-6350HQ if you need maximum rendering performance and are building or buying a mobile system. Choose the AMD A8-7680 if you require an actively produced desktop part on the FM2+ platform and can accept a 20% performance deficit in multi-threaded and single-threaded rendering workloads.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The Intel Core i5-6350HQ is built on Skylake architecture (codename Skylake-H), manufactured on a 14 nm process by Intel. Its die size is 171 mm² with 2,300 million transistors. The AMD A8-7680 uses Excavator architecture (codename Carrizo), built on a 28 nm process by GlobalFoundries, with a substantially larger die at 250 mm² and 3,100 million transistors.

The cache hierarchies differ significantly. Intel provides 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, topped off with 6 MB of shared L3 cache. AMD offers a total of 320 KB L1 and 2 MB L2, with no L3 cache at all. This absence of L3 is a major architectural disadvantage for AMD, particularly in multi-threaded workloads where shared data access patterns benefit from a large, fast cache.

Memory support also diverges. The Intel chip supports both DDR3 and DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration, with a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The AMD chip supports only DDR3, also dual-channel, with the same 34.1 GB/s bandwidth. This gives Intel flexibility in system design and potential access to faster memory standards.

PCI Express connectivity differs as well. Intel offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU, while AMD lists simply "Gen 3" without specifying lane count. The Intel part's configuration suggests more robust expansion options for discrete GPUs or NVMe storage.

Integrated graphics represent another major architectural split. Intel includes Iris Pro 580, a high-end integrated GPU with substantial execution resources. AMD includes Radeon R7, which is a capable but more modest integrated solution. For systems relying on iGPU output, Intel has a clear advantage, though the benchmark data does not directly measure graphics performance.

Specification Differences

The two CPUs differ in several key specifications. The Intel Core i5-6350HQ has a base clock of 2.30 GHz and a boost clock of 3.20 GHz. The AMD A8-7680 has a higher base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. Despite AMD's clock advantage, Intel wins all benchmarks.

Socket compatibility is entirely different. Intel uses BGA 1440, a ball-grid array typically soldered to mobile motherboards. AMD uses Socket FM2+, a desktop socket that allows CPU replacement. This reflects their differing market segments: Intel is mobile, AMD is desktop.

The process node differs as noted: Intel is on 14 nm, AMD on 28 nm. This translates to Intel's smaller die (171 mm² versus 250 mm²) despite Intel having fewer transistors (2,300 million versus 3,100 million).

Release dates are far apart. Intel launched on January 23, 2016, with a launch MSRP of $306. AMD launched on October 25, 2018, with no MSRP listed. Intel's part is end-of-life, while AMD's remains in active production.

Memory support, cache layout, and integrated graphics all differ as described in the architecture section. Both CPUs have 4 cores and 4 threads, both have 45W TDP, both lack ECC support, and both are multiplier-locked. Neither supports 3D V-Cache.

FAQ

Q: Which CPU is faster in multi-core rendering?

A: The Intel Core i5-6350HQ wins all multi-core tests by 20.1%. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, Intel scores 3616 versus AMD's 3011.

Q: Does the AMD A8-7680's higher clock speed help it win any benchmarks?

A: No. Despite a 3.50 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost (versus Intel's 2.30 GHz and 3.20 GHz), AMD loses all five head-to-head tests by 20% or more.

Q: What are the cache differences between the two processors?

A: Intel has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3. AMD has 320 KB total L1, 2 MB L2, and no L3 cache.

Q: Which CPU has better integrated graphics?

A: Intel includes Iris Pro 580, while AMD includes Radeon R7. The benchmark data does not test graphics, but the Intel solution is generally positioned as higher-end.

Q: Are these CPUs comparable in overall performance ranking?

A: Yes. Intel sits at the 29th percentile of all CPUs with an average score of 1046, while AMD sits at the 28th percentile with an average score of 1036.

Q: Which CPU is still in production?

A: The AMD A8-7680 is marked as active production, while the Intel Core i5-6350HQ is end-of-life. Intel launched in January 2016; AMD launched in October 2018.