AMD Athlon 240GE vs Intel Core i7-2860QM Comparison

The AMD Athlon 240GE and Intel Core i7-2860QM occupy nearly the same performance tier, with average benchmark scores of 1121 and 1120, respectively. The data shows a margin of just 0.1% separating these two processors, making them statistical equals in overall compute capability despite their dramatically different architectures and release dates. Both CPUs land in the 32nd percentile of all tested processors, placing them in the same performance class for general-purpose workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head results reveal an extraordinarily tight contest across all six Cinebench tests. In Cinebench R15 multicore, both processors score exactly 390 points, with the Athlon 240GE awarded the nominal win at a 0% delta. The single-core R15 result is identical: both chips post 54 points, again a dead heat.

Moving to Cinebench R20, the AMD part edges ahead by a single point in multicore, scoring 1627 against the Intel’s 1626, a 0.1% advantage. The R20 single-core test shows a perfect tie at 229 points for both processors. The pattern continues in Cinebench R23, where the Athlon 240GE scores 3876 in multicore versus 3873 for the i7-2860QM — a 0.1% lead — and 547 versus 546 in single-core, a 0.2% margin.

The AMD Athlon 240GE takes all six head-to-head wins, but the largest delta is just 0.2%. These differences are well within benchmark noise and effectively indicate identical rendering performance. The i7-2860QM does have an additional Geekbench result in its benchmark suite — 1681 multicore and 558 single-core — but no corresponding Geekbench test exists for the Athlon 240GE in the data, so a direct comparison on that workload cannot be made.

Architecture Differences

The two chips come from opposite ends of the semiconductor timeline. The AMD Athlon 240GE is built on the Zen architecture (Raven Ridge codename) using a 14 nm process from GlobalFoundries, while the Intel Core i7-2860QM uses Sandy Bridge on Intel’s 32 nm node. This process gap translates into a substantial transistor count difference: the AMD chip packs 4,950 million transistors on a 209.8 mm² die, whereas the Intel part uses 1,160 million transistors across a 216 mm² die. The Athlon achieves more than four times the transistor density despite a smaller physical footprint.

Core configurations also diverge sharply. The Athlon 240GE is a 2-core, 4-thread desktop processor with a 3.50 GHz base clock and no boost capability. The i7-2860QM is a 4-core, 8-thread mobile chip with a 2.50 GHz base clock that boosts to 3.60 GHz. Despite having half the physical cores and half the threads, the AMD part matches the Intel chip’s multithreaded scores — a signal of the Zen architecture’s efficiency advantage over the older Sandy Bridge design.

Cache hierarchies follow the core counts. The Athlon provides 96 KB of L1 and 512 KB of L2 per core, plus 4 MB of shared L3. The Intel chip offers 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, but doubles the shared L3 to 8 MB. Memory support differs as well: the Athlon uses DDR4 with dual-channel access and a 42.7 GB/s bandwidth figure, while the i7-2860QM’s memory support field is null, though it does list dual-channel memory bus capability.

Integrated graphics differentiate the pair further. The Athlon 240GE includes Radeon Vega 3 graphics, while the i7-2860QM carries Intel HD 3000. Both processors lack ECC memory support, and neither has an unlocked multiplier. The AMD part connects via PCIe Gen 3 with 8 CPU lanes; the Intel field for PCIe is null.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE leads with an average benchmark score of 1121, while the Intel Core i7-2860QM trails marginally at 1120, a 0.1% difference.

Q: How do the core counts compare between these two CPUs?

A: The Intel Core i7-2860QM has 4 cores and 8 threads, double the 2 cores and 4 threads of the AMD Athlon 240GE.

Q: Which CPU has the higher clock speed?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE runs at a 3.50 GHz base clock with no boost. The Intel Core i7-2860QM has a 2.50 GHz base clock but boosts up to 3.60 GHz.

Q: What are the Cinebench R23 multicore scores for each processor?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE scores 3876 in Cinebench R23 multicore, edging out the Intel Core i7-2860QM’s 3873, a 0.1% difference.

Q: Is the AMD Athlon 240GE still in production?

A: Yes, the Athlon 240GE has an active production status, whereas the Intel Core i7-2860QM is listed as end-of-life.

Q: Which processor was released more recently?

A: The AMD Athlon 240GE was released in December 2018, while the Intel Core i7-2860QM debuted in September 2011.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Athlon 240GE | Intel Core i7-2860QM |

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

| Cores | 2 | 4 |

| Threads | 4 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 3.50 GHz | 2.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | None | 3.60 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 45 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | Intel Socket G2 (988B) |

| Architecture | Zen | Sandy Bridge |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 32 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Intel |

| Transistors | 4,950 million | 1,160 million |

| Die Size | 209.8 mm² | 216 mm² |

| L1 Cache (per core) | 96 KB | 64 KB |

| L2 Cache (per core) | 512 KB | 256 KB |

| L3 Cache (shared) | 4 MB | 8 MB |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | Null |

| Memory Bandwidth | 42.7 GB/s | Null |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 8 Lanes (CPU only) | Null |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon Vega 3 | Intel HD 3000 |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | 2018-12-20 | 2011-09-03 |

| Launch MSRP | $75 | Null |

| Part Number | YD240GC6M2OFB | SR02X |

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Athlon 240GE secures the win in all six head-to-head benchmark comparisons, though the margins are minimal. Its largest advantage comes in Cinebench R23 single-core, where it leads by 0.2%, and its multicore R20 and R23 scores are 0.1% ahead. The Athlon also wins on efficiency metrics: its 35 W TDP is substantially lower than the Intel’s 45 W, and it achieves parity in multithreaded performance with half the cores and threads. The AMD part is also the only one with active production status and the only one with a stated launch MSRP of $75.

The Intel Core i7-2860QM offers no benchmark wins against the Athlon 240GE, but it does carry advantages in raw core count and cache capacity. Its 4 cores and 8 threads double the AMD part’s resources, and its 8 MB of L3 doubles the Athlon’s 4 MB. The i7-2860QM also has a 3.60 GHz boost clock, giving it a higher peak frequency than the Athlon’s fixed 3.50 GHz. For workloads that scale with physical cores rather than instructions per clock, the Intel part may have untapped potential that the Cinebench suite does not fully expose.

The Verdict

The data presents a straightforward picture: the AMD Athlon 240GE and Intel Core i7-2860QM deliver essentially identical benchmark performance. With a 0.1% average score difference and all head-to-head deltas at or below 0.2%, any performance-based selection between these two comes down to factors other than raw throughput. The AMD chip wins on architectural modernity, featuring a 14 nm process versus 32 nm, a far higher transistor count, and DDR4 memory support. It also consumes 10 W less power and remains in active production.

The Intel part is a mobile processor from 2011 with an end-of-life status. Its 4-core, 8-thread configuration and larger L3 cache suggest it was designed for a different era of computing, but those resources do not translate into measurable Cinebench advantages. For a desktop build, the AMD Athlon 240GE is the logical choice given its active production status, newer architecture, and lower TDP. The Intel Core i7-2860QM, confined to the Socket G2 (988B) mobile platform, offers no benchmark-based reason for selection over the Athlon. The only scenario where the i7-2860QM might be considered is if software specifically benefits from its eight threads or larger cache — but the Cinebench results show no such benefit materializing in practice.