AMD Athlon X4 840 vs Intel Core i7-875K Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The recorded benchmark data shows a clean sweep for the AMD Athlon X4 840 across all five shared Cinebench tests. The Intel Core i7-875K does not win a single head-to-head comparison, while the AMD part takes all five wins. The margins are consistent, ranging from 3.5% to 4.2% in favor of the AMD processor.

In Cinebench R15 multicore, the AMD Athlon X4 840 scores 285 against the Intel Core i7-875K's 275. That is a 3.5% advantage for AMD. Moving to Cinebench R20 multicore, the gap widens slightly: AMD scores 1189, Intel scores 1146, a 3.6% difference. The pattern repeats in Cinebench R23 multicore, where AMD posts 2833 versus Intel's 2729, again a 3.7% gap.

Single-core results tell a similar story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the AMD Athlon X4 840 records 168 points, while the Intel Core i7-875K manages 161, a 4.2% delta. In Cinebench R23 single-core, AMD scores 400 against Intel's 385, a 3.7% margin. These are not overwhelming victories, but they are consistent across every workload tested.

The average benchmark score in the database places the Intel Core i7-875K at 984 and the AMD Athlon X4 840 at 975. Interestingly, the Intel part holds a slightly higher average score overall, despite losing every direct head-to-head comparison. This reflects differences in the broader benchmark suites each processor was measured against. The Intel chip sits at the 27th percentile among all CPUs, while the AMD chip sits at the 26th percentile, a negligible overall ranking difference.

The nearest rivals for the Intel Core i7-875K include the Intel Core i3-4130T at an identical average score of 984, the Intel Xeon X3470 at 983, the Intel Core i3-4370T at 983, and the Intel Xeon W5590 at 986. The AMD Athlon X4 840's nearest rivals are the Intel Core i3-4130 at 975, the Intel Core i3-4150T at 975, the AMD A10-7870K at 975, and the Intel Core i5-5257U at 976. These clustering patterns suggest both processors occupy a similar performance tier despite their architectural differences.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different design philosophies and manufacturing eras. The Intel Core i7-875K uses the Nehalem architecture, specifically the Lynnfield codename, built on a 45 nm process at Intel. It packs 774 million transistors into a 296 mm² die. The AMD Athlon X4 840 uses the Steamroller architecture with the Kaveri codename, manufactured by GlobalFoundries on a 28 nm process. It contains 2,411 million transistors on a 245 mm² die. The AMD chip uses a much denser process node, packing over three times as many transistors into a smaller physical area.

Core and thread counts differ in a way that might surprise. Both CPUs have four physical cores. The Intel Core i7-875K supports eight threads thanks to Hyper-Threading, while the AMD Athlon X4 840 has four threads, one per core. This gives the Intel part a theoretical multitasking advantage, though the benchmark results do not reflect it in the Cinebench workloads tested.

Cache hierarchies diverge significantly. The Intel Core i7-875K features 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and a shared 8 MB L3 cache. The AMD Athlon X4 840 has 256 KB of L1 cache total, 4 MB of L2 cache, and no L3 cache at all. The Intel chip's larger L3 cache is a notable architectural resource, but it did not translate into benchmark wins in this dataset.

Clock speeds favor AMD on paper. The AMD Athlon X4 840 has a base clock of 3.10 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. The Intel Core i7-875K runs at 2.93 GHz base and 3.60 GHz boost. Both processors have unlocked multipliers, allowing overclocking, but the database records no overclocked results.

Memory support shows another divergence. Both use DDR3 memory with dual-channel buses. However, the AMD Athlon X4 840 achieves a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s, while the Intel Core i7-875K is limited to 21.3 GB/s. The AMD part's higher bandwidth is consistent with its newer memory controller design.

PCIe connectivity also differs. The AMD Athlon X4 840 supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes from the CPU. The Intel Core i7-875K supports PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes. This gives the AMD platform a newer interface standard, though the practical impact depends on the graphics and storage devices used.

The Intel Core i7-875K has a TDP of 95 watts, while the AMD Athlon X4 840 draws only 65 watts. The AMD part is substantially more power-efficient per the recorded specifications, likely due to its newer 28 nm process. Neither processor includes integrated graphics, so both require a discrete GPU.

Release dates place these chips in different eras. The Intel Core i7-875K launched in May 2010 with a launch MSRP of $353. The AMD Athlon X4 840 arrived in August 2014, four years later. Both are now end-of-life products.

The Verdict

The data points to the AMD Athlon X4 840 as the faster processor in every Cinebench workload recorded. It wins all five head-to-head comparisons with margins between 3.5% and 4.2%. If the question is purely about out-of-the-box Cinebench performance, the AMD chip is the clear choice.

The Intel Core i7-875K still offers the higher thread count, with eight threads versus four, and a larger shared L3 cache of 8 MB. It also holds a marginally higher average benchmark score in the database at 984 versus 975, and a slightly higher percentile ranking at 27 versus 26. These factors suggest the Intel part may have strengths in workloads not covered by the shared Cinebench tests, particularly multithreaded applications that can use its extra threads effectively.

The AMD Athlon X4 840 wins on power efficiency, with a 65 watt TDP against Intel's 95 watts. It also offers newer PCIe Gen 3 support and higher memory bandwidth. For users prioritizing those characteristics, the AMD part is superior.

Neither processor is currently in production, so availability is limited to the used market. The verdict from the recorded data is straightforward: the AMD Athlon X4 840 outperforms the Intel Core i7-875K in every shared benchmark, while the Intel chip retains advantages in thread count, cache size, and overall average score.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in Cinebench R23 multicore?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 840 scores 2833 in Cinebench R23 multicore, while the Intel Core i7-875K scores 2729. The AMD chip wins by 3.7%.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-875K have more threads than the AMD Athlon X4 840?

A: Yes. The Intel Core i7-875K has 4 cores and 8 threads, while the AMD Athlon X4 840 has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between these two processors?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 840 supports 34.1 GB/s of memory bandwidth, while the Intel Core i7-875K supports 21.3 GB/s. Both use dual-channel DDR3.

Q: Which processor has a lower TDP?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 840 has a TDP of 65 watts. The Intel Core i7-875K has a TDP of 95 watts.

Q: What are the nearest rivals for the AMD Athlon X4 840 in the database?

A: The nearest rivals are the Intel Core i3-4130, Intel Core i3-4150T, and AMD A10-7870K, all with an average score of 975, plus the Intel Core i5-5257U at 976.

Q: Do either of these CPUs include integrated graphics?

A: No. Both the Intel Core i7-875K and the AMD Athlon X4 840 have no integrated graphics, so a discrete GPU is required.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Athlon X4 840 wins in every shared Cinebench benchmark. The data shows victories in Cinebench R15 multicore (285 vs 275), Cinebench R20 multicore (1189 vs 1146), Cinebench R20 single-core (168 vs 161), Cinebench R23 multicore (2833 vs 2729), and Cinebench R23 single-core (400 vs 385). The AMD chip is the better performer for rendering workloads that use Cinebench, whether single-threaded or multi-threaded.

The AMD Athlon X4 840 also wins on power efficiency, with a 65 watt TDP compared to Intel's 95 watts. It supports PCIe Gen 3 versus Intel's Gen 2, and it delivers higher memory bandwidth at 34.1 GB/s versus 21.3 GB/s. For builders prioritizing low power draw and modern platform features, the AMD part is preferable.

The Intel Core i7-875K wins on thread count, offering 8 threads versus 4, which gives it potential advantages in heavily threaded applications beyond Cinebench. It also has a larger shared L3 cache at 8 MB, and a slightly higher average benchmark score in the database at 984 versus 975. The Intel chip's percentile ranking of 27 versus AMD's 26 is a marginal but recorded advantage.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i7-875K | AMD Athlon X4 840 |

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

| Architecture | Nehalem | Steamroller |

| Codename | Lynnfield | Kaveri |

| Process node | 45 nm | 28 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | GlobalFoundries |

| Transistors | 774 million | 2,411 million |

| Die size | 296 mm² | 245 mm² |

| Threads | 8 | 4 |

| Base clock | 2.93 GHz | 3.10 GHz |

| Boost clock | 3.60 GHz | 3.80 GHz |

| TDP | 95 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1156 | AMD Socket FM2+ |

| L1 cache | 64 KB (per core) | 256 KB |

| L2 cache | 256 KB (per core) | 4 MB |

| L3 cache | 8 MB (shared) | None |

| Memory bandwidth | 21.3 GB/s | 34.1 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 2, 16 Lanes | Gen 3, 16 Lanes |

| Release date | May 2010 | August 2014 |

| Average benchmark score | 984 | 975 |

| Percentile | 27 | 26 |