AMD Athlon Silver 10 vs Intel Core i9-7980XE Comparison

The Intel Core i9-7980XE and the AMD Athlon Silver 10 occupy opposite ends of the computing spectrum, yet benchmark data places them at a similar overall percentile. The i9-7980XE, a desktop flagship from Intel’s 7th Generation X-Series, is a 18-core, 36-thread processor with a boost clock of 4.40 GHz. The Athlon Silver 10 is a mobile chip from AMD, featuring just 2 cores and 2 threads, with a boost clock of 3.50 GHz. Despite the massive core disparity, both processors hold a percentile rank of 63 against all CPUs, making their comparative analysis a study in workload-specific strengths rather than raw core counts.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark suites used for these two CPUs do not overlap directly, so a direct score-by-score comparison requires extrapolation from their respective test sets. The Intel Core i9-7980XE delivers dominant multi-threaded performance, as evidenced by its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 25072. In contrast, the AMD Athlon Silver 10’s PassMark multithread score sits at 3543, indicating a massive gulf in parallel processing capability. The i9-7980XE’s Cinebench R20 multicore score of 10530 further underscores its ability to handle heavily threaded workloads, while the Athlon Silver 10’s PassMark integer math score of 9354 and floating point math score of 5936 show modest throughput on lighter parallel tasks.

Single-threaded performance tells a more nuanced story. The i9-7980XE achieves a Cinebench R23 single-core score of 3539 and a Geekbench single-core score of 1435. The Athlon Silver 10 counters with a PassMark single-thread score of 2089. While the benchmarks differ in methodology, the data suggests the Athlon Silver 10 is not completely outclassed in single-core efficiency, likely due to its newer Zen 2 architecture. The i9-7980XE’s Cinebench R15 single-core score of 356 and R20 single-core score of 1486 show consistent, but not overwhelming, single-thread performance for a high-core-count part.

The i9-7980XE’s average benchmark score of 7018 places it 0.4% ahead of the Intel Xeon Platinum 8260 and 1.2% ahead of the Intel Core i9-9960X. The Athlon Silver 10’s average score of 6849 puts it neck-and-neck with the AMD Athlon X4 970, with a deltaPct of 0, and just 0.7% behind the Intel Xeon Gold 6154. This near-parity in average scores between such different processors highlights that the i9-7980XE and Athlon Silver 10 are not directly comparable in most workloads, but their overall performance indices happen to align closely.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i9-7980XE is the clear winner in any scenario that leverages multiple cores or threads. With 18 cores and 36 threads, it excels in video rendering, 3D modeling, and software compilation—workloads where its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 25072 and R15 multicore score of 2527 demonstrate substantial headroom. Its 24.75 MB of shared L3 cache and quad-channel DDR4 memory bus with 85.3 GB/s bandwidth further support data-intensive tasks, making it a suitable choice for professional desktop workstations.

The AMD Athlon Silver 10, by contrast, is optimized for power efficiency and light mobile workloads. Its 15 W TDP and 6 nm process node from TSMC allow it to operate in compact, fanless designs. Its integrated Radeon 610M graphics provide basic visual output without a discrete GPU, which the i9-7980XE lacks entirely. In PassMark tests, the Athlon Silver 10 scores 42492 in data compression and 2125 in data encryption, indicating it can handle everyday file archiving and security tasks reasonably well for a low-power chip. Its single-thread score of 2089 suggests it can navigate web browsing and office applications without significant lag.

The i9-7980XE wins on raw compute density, but the Athlon Silver 10 wins on portability and system integration. The i9-7980XE requires a dedicated graphics card, given its lack of integrated graphics, while the Athlon Silver 10 includes Radeon 610M. The i9-7980XE’s 44 PCIe Gen 3 lanes (CPU only) support multiple expansion cards, whereas the Athlon Silver 10’s 4 PCIe Gen 3 lanes limit expansion to basic peripherals. For users needing a server-like desktop CPU, the i9-7980XE dominates; for a low-cost mobile or embedded system, the Athlon Silver 10 is the functional choice.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two processors is stark. The Intel Core i9-7980XE is built on a 14 nm process at Intel’s foundry, using the Skylake-X architecture (codename Skylake). It features 18 cores with 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 1 MB of L2 cache per core, alongside a shared 24.75 MB L3 cache. The die size is a substantial 484 mm², reflecting the high core count and large cache array. It supports DDR4 memory over a quad-channel bus, delivering 85.3 GB/s of bandwidth.

The AMD Athlon Silver 10 uses the Zen 2 architecture (codename Mendocino), manufactured on a 6 nm process by TSMC. It has 2 cores, each with 64 KB of L1 cache and 512 KB of L2 cache, plus a shared 2 MB L3 cache. Its die size is just 100 mm², a fraction of the i9-7980XE’s footprint. Memory support shifts to LPDDR5 over a dual-channel bus, with a theoretical bandwidth of 88.0 GB/s—slightly higher than the i9-7980XE despite the smaller channel count, thanks to faster memory technology.

The i9-7980XE is an unlocked multiplier part, allowing overclocking, while the Athlon Silver 10 is locked. The i9-7980XE uses Intel Socket 2066, a high-end desktop platform, whereas the Athlon Silver 10 uses AMD Socket FT6, a low-power mobile socket. The i9-7980XE is end-of-life, released in August 2017, while the Athlon Silver 10 is active, with a release date of September 2025. The i9-7980XE’s TDP is 165 W, compared to the Athlon Silver 10’s 15 W, illustrating the power draw disparity.

The Verdict

From the data, the Intel Core i9-7980XE is the appropriate choice for users who require maximum multithreaded performance in a desktop environment. Its Cinebench R23 multicore score of 25072 and 36 threads make it ideal for heavy rendering, scientific computing, and virtualization. The processor’s 44 PCIe Gen 3 lanes and quad-channel memory support enable high-bandwidth expansion, and its unlocked multiplier offers overclocking flexibility. However, its end-of-life status and high power draw are considerations, though no price data is available for comparative analysis.

The AMD Athlon Silver 10 is suited for mobile or low-power systems where efficiency and integrated graphics are paramount. Its 15 W TDP and 6 nm process allow for fanless operation, and its Radeon 610M GPU eliminates the need for a discrete graphics card. The PassMark data compression score of 42492 and single-thread score of 2089 indicate competent everyday performance for a 2-core part. Its active production status and recent release date suggest ongoing availability for new designs.

Benchmark results indicate that the i9-7980XE’s performance percentile of 63 is driven by its multicore might, while the Athlon Silver 10’s same percentile comes from a balance of efficiency and acceptable single-thread speeds. There is no overlap in their intended use cases; picking one over the other should be dictated by whether the workload is parallel-heavy or power-constrained. The data does not support one being universally better—they are divergent tools for divergent tasks.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more cores and threads?

A: The Intel Core i9-7980XE has 18 cores and 36 threads, while the AMD Athlon Silver 10 has 2 cores and 2 threads.

Q: How do their multithreaded benchmark scores compare?

A: The i9-7980XE scores 25072 in Cinebench R23 multicore, whereas the Athlon Silver 10 scores 3543 in PassMark multithread, showing the i9’s vast parallel advantage.

Q: Does the AMD Athlon Silver 10 have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it includes Radeon 610M integrated graphics, while the Intel Core i9-7980XE has no integrated graphics.

Q: What are the memory bandwidths of these two CPUs?

A: The i9-7980XE provides 85.3 GB/s over quad-channel DDR4, and the Athlon Silver 10 provides 88.0 GB/s over dual-channel LPDDR5.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The Intel Core i9-7980XE has a boost clock of 4.40 GHz, which is higher than the AMD Athlon Silver 10’s 3.50 GHz.

Q: Are both processors in active production?

A: No, the i9-7980XE is end-of-life, while the Athlon Silver 10 is active.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i9-7980XE | AMD Athlon Silver 10 |

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

| Cores | 18 | 2 |

| Threads | 36 | 2 |

| Base Clock | 2.60 GHz | 2.40 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 4.40 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| TDP | 165 W | 15 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 2066 | AMD Socket FT6 |

| Architecture | Skylake | Zen 2 |

| Codename | Skylake-X | Mendocino |

| Process Node | 14 nm | 6 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | TSMC |

| Die Size | 484 mm² | 100 mm² |

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per core) | 512 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | 24.75 MB (shared) | 2 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | LPDDR5 |

| Memory Bus | Quad-channel | Dual-channel |

| Memory Bandwidth | 85.3 GB/s | 88.0 GB/s |

| PCIe Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 44 Lanes | Gen 3, 4 Lanes |

| Integrated Graphics | None | Radeon 610M |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

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

| Release Date | 2017-08-31 | 2025-09-30 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |