AMD Athlon X4 845 vs Intel Core i7-4610M Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data presents a clear and consistent picture: the AMD Athlon X4 845 wins every recorded head-to-head comparison against the Intel Core i7-4610M. Across five Cinebench tests, the AMD processor takes all five wins, while the Intel part records zero victories. This is not a case of mixed results or workload-dependent advantages; the Athlon X4 845 is uniformly ahead in every single-core and multi-core test where both were measured.

The use-case split, however, is more nuanced than a simple sweep. The Athlon X4 845, with four physical cores and four threads, shows its strength in multi-threaded rendering workloads. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 3215 against the Intel's 2750, a 16.9% advantage. Similarly, in Cinebench R20 multi-core, the AMD part posts 1350 versus 1155, again a 16.9% lead. For users running heavily parallel workloads such as video encoding, 3D rendering, or compilation tasks, the Athlon X4 845 is the clear choice based on these numbers.

Surprisingly, the AMD chip also wins the single-core tests, which is often considered Intel territory. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Athlon X4 845 scores 453 against the Intel's 388, a 16.8% margin. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the AMD leads 190 to 162, a 17.3% difference. This indicates that even for lightly threaded applications like web browsing, office productivity, or legacy software, the Athlon X4 845 holds an edge in the recorded data.

The Intel Core i7-4610M, despite its lower scores, has its own context. It is a mobile processor with a 37 W TDP, while the AMD part is a desktop chip with a 65 W TDP. The Intel part also includes integrated graphics (Intel HD 4600), which the AMD chip lacks entirely. For a mobile platform where power efficiency and an iGPU matter, the Intel processor offers capabilities that the AMD desktop part cannot match, even if the raw CPU benchmark scores favor AMD.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural eras and design philosophies. The AMD Athlon X4 845 uses the Excavator architecture on the Carrizo codename, built on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 3,100 million transistors on a 250 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-4610M uses the Haswell architecture, built on a 22 nm process at Intel, with 960 million transistors on a 131 mm² die. The smaller process node and die size for Intel reflect a different design approach, but the AMD chip compensates with a larger transistor budget.

Core and thread counts differ substantially. The AMD part has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Intel part has 2 cores and 4 threads thanks to Hyper-Threading. This means the Athlon X4 845 has twice the physical core count, which explains its multi-core advantage. The Intel chip's threads allow it to handle four concurrent tasks, but with only two physical execution units, it cannot match the raw parallel throughput of the AMD part.

Cache layouts are also distinct. The AMD Athlon X4 845 has 320 KB of L1 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache, with no L3 cache at all. The Intel Core i7-4610M has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, plus a shared 4 MB L3 cache. The presence of L3 cache on the Intel part is a notable architectural difference, yet it does not translate into benchmark wins in the recorded data.

Clock speeds favor AMD. The Athlon X4 845 runs at 3.50 GHz base and 3.80 GHz boost, while the Intel part runs at 3.00 GHz base and 3.70 GHz boost. The AMD chip's higher clocks, combined with its extra physical cores, likely drive its consistent benchmark superiority.

Memory support is similar: both support DDR3 with dual-channel memory buses. However, the AMD part has a higher memory bandwidth rating at 34.1 GB/s, compared to the Intel's 25.6 GB/s. PCIe support also differs, with the AMD chip offering Gen 3 with 8 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only).

The Intel processor includes integrated graphics (Intel HD 4600), while the AMD part has no integrated graphics at all. The Intel chip also has a locked multiplier, while the AMD chip has an unlocked multiplier, allowing for overclocking. The AMD processor is a desktop part on Socket FM2+, while the Intel is a mobile part on Socket G3.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multi-core test shows the Athlon X4 845 scoring 324 against the Intel's 277, a 17% advantage for AMD. This was the smallest margin in percentage terms among the five tests, but still a decisive win. Moving to Cinebench R20 multi-core, the AMD chip scores 1350 versus 1155, a 16.9% lead. The consistency of these margins is striking: across all multi-core tests, the AMD advantage hovers around 17%.

Single-core results tell a similar story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Athlon X4 845 scores 190 against the Intel's 162, a 17.3% advantage. This is the largest percentage win for AMD in any test. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the AMD chip scores 453 versus 388, a 16.8% lead. Even in the newest Cinebench version, the AMD part maintains its edge.

The most telling result is Cinebench R23 multi-core, where the Athlon X4 845 scores 3215 against the Intel's 2750. This 465-point gap is the largest absolute difference in any test. It demonstrates that the AMD chip's four physical cores provide a substantial advantage in modern multi-threaded workloads.

Interestingly, the Intel Core i7-4610M does have additional benchmark data in the Geekbench tests, but these were not part of the head-to-head comparison. In Geekbench multi-core, the Intel scores 1903, and in Geekbench single-core, it scores 1024. However, since the AMD part has no Geekbench scores recorded, these cannot be directly compared.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 845 has 4 physical cores, while the Intel Core i7-4610M has 2 physical cores. The Intel part compensates with Hyper-Threading to reach 4 threads, matching the AMD chip's thread count, but not its physical core count.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-4610M have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i7-4610M includes Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics. The AMD Athlon X4 845 has no integrated graphics at all, meaning a discrete GPU is required for display output on the AMD platform.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 845 has a boost clock of 3.80 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-4610M has a boost clock of 3.70 GHz. The AMD chip also has a higher base clock at 3.50 GHz versus the Intel's 3.00 GHz.

Q: Are both processors still in production?

A: Both processors are marked as end-of-life in the database. The AMD Athlon X4 845 was released in February 2016, while the Intel Core i7-4610M was released in January 2014.

Q: What is the TDP difference between these two chips?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 845 has a TDP of 65 W, while the Intel Core i7-4610M has a TDP of 37 W. This makes the Intel part significantly more power-efficient, which is expected given its mobile market segment.

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 845 has an average benchmark score of 1106, while the Intel Core i7-4610M has an average score of 1094. The AMD chip also has a slightly higher percentile rank at 31st percentile versus the Intel's 30th percentile.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD Athlon X4 845 outperforms the Intel Core i7-4610M in every recorded benchmark. With a 17% lead across all Cinebench tests, the AMD part is the clear winner for CPU-intensive workloads. Its four physical cores and higher clock speeds deliver consistent advantages in both single-threaded and multi-threaded tasks.

However, the choice is not purely about CPU performance. The Intel Core i7-4610M is a mobile processor with a much lower TDP of 37 W, making it suitable for laptops and compact systems where power consumption and heat generation are critical factors. It also includes integrated graphics, eliminating the need for a discrete GPU in basic systems. The AMD Athlon X4 845, by contrast, is a desktop part with a 65 W TDP and no iGPU, requiring a separate graphics card.

For users building a desktop system focused purely on CPU performance and willing to use a discrete GPU, the AMD Athlon X4 845 is the better choice based on the recorded data. For users needing a mobile solution or wanting integrated graphics, the Intel Core i7-4610M is the only option of the two, despite its lower benchmark scores. The Intel part also carries a launch MSRP of $346, while the AMD part has no recorded launch price.

The percentile rankings reinforce this split: the AMD chip sits at the 31st percentile of all CPUs, while the Intel sits at the 30th percentile. These are nearly identical positions, indicating that both processors are in the same performance tier relative to the broader CPU market. The head-to-head results, however, show that within this tier, the AMD part has a decisive edge.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD Athlon X4 845 | Intel Core i7-4610M |

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

| Cores | 4 | 2 |

| Threads | 4 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 3.50 GHz | 3.00 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.80 GHz | 3.70 GHz |

| TDP | 65 W | 37 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FM2+ | Intel Socket G3 |

| Architecture | Excavator | Haswell |

| Codename | Carrizo | Haswell |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 22 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Intel |

| Transistors | 3,100 million | 960 million |

| Die Size | 250 mm² | 131 mm² |

| L1 Cache | 320 KB | 64 KB (per core) |

| L2 Cache | 2 MB | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | None | 4 MB (shared) |

| Memory Bandwidth | 34.1 GB/s | 25.6 GB/s |

| PCIe | Gen 3, 8 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 3, 16 Lanes (CPU only) |

| Integrated Graphics | None | Intel HD 4600 |

| Market Segment | Desktop | Mobile |

| Release Date | 2016-02-01 | 2014-01-31 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | Yes | No |

| Part Number | AD845XACI43KA | SR1KY |