CPU Comparison

The AMD A8-7680 and Intel Pentium G4560 are two desktop processors from different architectural eras, with the AMD part built on the older Excavator design and the Intel part using the newer Kaby Lake architecture. Despite their differing core counts and process nodes, benchmark data shows they deliver remarkably similar performance, with the AMD A8-7680 holding a narrow edge across every tested workload. The following analysis breaks down the data from the fact pack to clarify where each processor stands.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The AMD A8-7680 has 4 physical cores, while the Intel Pentium G4560 has 2 physical cores. Both processors support 4 threads, meaning the Intel part relies on Hyper-Threading to match the AMD part's thread count.

Q: How do their multi-core benchmark scores compare?

A: The AMD A8-7680 wins all multi-core tests, but by very small margins. In Cinebench R15, it scores 303 versus 301 for the Pentium (a 0.7% difference). In Cinebench R20, the AMD scores 1264 versus 1258 (0.5% higher), and in Cinebench R23, it scores 3011 versus 2996 (0.5% higher).

Q: What are the single-core performance differences?

A: The AMD A8-7680 also wins single-core tests, but again by tiny margins. In Cinebench R20, it scores 178 versus 177 (0.6% higher), and in Cinebench R23, it scores 425 versus 423 (0.5% higher).

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The AMD A8-7680 has an average benchmark score of 1036, while the Intel Pentium G4560 has an average score of 1031. Both processors sit at the 28th percentile when compared to all CPUs in the database.

Q: Which processor supports faster memory bandwidth?

A: The Intel Pentium G4560 supports a higher memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, compared to the AMD A8-7680's 34.1 GB/s. The Intel part uses DDR4 memory, while the AMD part uses DDR3.

Q: What are the power consumption figures for these two chips?

A: The AMD A8-7680 has a TDP of 45 watts, while the Intel Pentium G4560 has a higher TDP of 51 watts. This is notable because the AMD part has more physical cores but consumes less power.

The Verdict

The data paints a clear picture of near-identical performance between these two processors. The AMD A8-7680 wins all five head-to-head benchmark comparisons, but the largest margin is a mere 0.7% in Cinebench R15 multi-core. The Intel Pentium G4560 does not win a single test. However, the average benchmark scores (1036 for AMD, 1031 for Intel) and identical 28th percentile rankings show that, from a pure performance standpoint, these chips are effectively equivalent for most workloads.

The choice comes down to platform and feature preferences. The AMD A8-7680 offers four physical cores and a lower TDP (45W vs 51W), which may appeal to users who prefer the AMD Socket FM2+ platform or who value the integrated Radeon R7 graphics. The Intel Pentium G4560, on the other hand, uses the Socket 1151 platform, supports DDR4 memory with higher bandwidth (38.4 GB/s), and includes a larger shared L3 cache of 3 MB. Users already invested in one platform or the other should see no meaningful performance penalty from picking either chip. For a new build, the data does not strongly favor one over the other; the decision hinges on ecosystem fit rather than benchmark results.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a consistent, albeit narrow, victory for the AMD A8-7680 across all five Cinebench tests. The largest win for the AMD part comes in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where it scores 303 against the Intel's 301, a delta of 0.7%. This small margin suggests that the AMD's four physical cores do not provide a significant advantage over the Intel's two cores with four threads in this workload.

In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the AMD A8-7680 scores 1264, edging out the Intel Pentium G4560's 1258 by 0.5%. The single-core tests follow the same pattern. The AMD wins Cinebench R20 single-core with a score of 178 versus 177 (0.6% delta), and Cinebench R23 single-core with 425 versus 423 (0.5% delta). The final benchmark, Cinebench R23 multi-core, shows the AMD scoring 3011 against the Intel's 2996, another 0.5% margin. The near-constant delta percentage across these tests indicates that the performance gap is systemic rather than workload-specific, but it is too small to be perceptible in real-world use.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ significantly in their core and cache configurations. The AMD A8-7680 has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Intel Pentium G4560 has 2 cores and 4 threads. The AMD part has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz; the Intel part has the same base clock of 3.50 GHz but no boost clock.

Cache layouts are also distinct. The AMD A8-7680 has 320 KB of L1 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache, with no L3 cache. The Intel Pentium G4560 lists its L1 cache as 64 KB per core and L2 as 256 KB per core, plus a 3 MB shared L3 cache. The total L2 cache for the Intel part is effectively 512 KB, which is less than the AMD's 2 MB, but the Intel's L3 cache may help compensate in certain workloads.

Memory support differs as well. The AMD A8-7680 supports DDR3 memory with a dual-channel bus and a bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The Intel Pentium G4560 supports DDR4 memory, also dual-channel, with a higher bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. Both processors have a Gen 3 PCIe interface, though the Intel listing specifies 16 lanes for the CPU only. The AMD part has a TDP of 45 watts, while the Intel part is rated at 51 watts. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these chips is substantial. The AMD A8-7680 uses the Excavator architecture on the Carrizo codename, built on a 28 nm process node at GlobalFoundries. The Intel Pentium G4560 uses the Kaby Lake architecture, built on Intel's 14 nm process. The AMD part has a transistor count of 3,100 million and a die size of 250 mm², while the Intel part's transistor count and die size are not listed in the data.

The cache architectures reflect different design philosophies. The AMD A8-7680 has a larger L2 cache (2 MB) but no L3 cache, a common trait for AMD's Excavator parts. The Intel Pentium G4560 uses a per-core L1 and L2 arrangement with a shared 3 MB L3 cache, which is typical for Intel's Kaby Lake lineup. The AMD part integrates a Radeon R7 GPU, while the Intel part integrates an Intel HD 610 GPU. Both are desktop processors, but the AMD part is on Socket FM2+, and the Intel part is on Socket 1151. The AMD part was released later, with a release date of 2018-10-25, compared to the Intel's 2017-01-02.

Where Each One Wins

Based on the benchmark data, the AMD A8-7680 wins every tested workload. It is ahead in both multi-core and single-core Cinebench tests, with the largest margin being 0.7% in Cinebench R15 multi-core. This indicates that the AMD part has a slight edge in rendering and CPU-intensive tasks, likely due to its four physical cores and higher boost clock. For users running multi-threaded applications that scale well with cores, the AMD A8-7680 is the data-backed choice, even if the margin is thin.

The Intel Pentium G4560 does not win any of the five head-to-head benchmarks. However, its platform advantages are evident in the specification data. It supports DDR4 memory with higher bandwidth (38.4 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s), which could benefit memory-sensitive workloads not captured in the Cinebench suite. The Intel part also has a 3 MB L3 cache, which may improve performance in applications that rely on frequent data reuse. The Intel chip's higher TDP of 51 watts suggests it may have more headroom for sustained operation, though this is not directly tested in the data. For users prioritizing the Intel platform, DDR4 memory support, or the larger L3 cache, the Pentium G4560 offers those features, even though the benchmark results show it lagging slightly behind the AMD A8-7680.