AMD Athlon X4 845 vs Intel Pentium 6805 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data presents a clear and consistent picture across every recorded Cinebench test: the Intel Pentium 6805 wins all five head-to-head comparisons. The margins are remarkably uniform, with the Intel part leading by approximately 15.4% to 15.6% in each workload. This consistency suggests the performance gap is structural rather than workload-dependent, a pattern worth examining across both multi-threaded and single-threaded scenarios.

In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the Pentium 6805 scores 383 against the Athlon X4 845's 324, a delta of 15.4%. That advantage carries forward to Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the Intel chip posts 1596 versus 1350, again a 15.4% lead. The R23 multi-core test shows the same ratio: 3801 for the Pentium versus 3215 for the Athlon, another 15.4% gap. The consistency of these multi-core results is notable because the Athlon X4 845 has twice the physical cores, yet the Pentium 6805's higher per-core throughput and efficient threading architecture compensate for the core count disadvantage.

Single-threaded performance tells a similar story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the Pentium 6805 scores 225 against 190 for the Athlon, a 15.6% lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, the Pentium reaches 536 while the Athlon manages 453, a 15.5% delta. This single-thread edge is particularly significant because it indicates the Intel architecture delivers more work per clock cycle, a factor that influences everything from everyday responsiveness to lightly threaded applications.

The overall benchmark averages reflect this pattern. The Athlon X4 845 holds an average benchmark score of 1106, while the Pentium 6805 sits at 1099. These figures are nearly identical, placing both processors at the 31st percentile among all CPUs in the database. The near-equal average scores, despite the Intel chip winning every individual test, stem from the different test distributions: the Athlon's scores are more clustered, while the Pentium's single-core results pull its average down relative to its multi-core dominance.

Looking at nearest rivals provides additional context. The Athlon X4 845's closest competitors include the AMD Opteron 3280 at an identical 1106 average score, the Opteron 4280 and PRO A12-8870 at 1107 (each 0.1% ahead), and the PRO A12-9800 at 1104 (0.2% behind). The Pentium 6805 sits alongside the Intel Core i5-3450S at 1099, the Xeon E5-1603 v3 and AMD PRO A10-8850B at 1098 (each 0.1% behind), and the Pentium Gold G6500 at 1101 (0.2% ahead). These rival clusters show both processors occupy a similar performance tier overall, despite the Pentium's clean sweep in direct comparison.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins in multi-core performance?

A: The Intel Pentium 6805 wins every multi-core benchmark recorded. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, it scores 3801 against the AMD Athlon X4 845's 3215, a 15.4% advantage. The same margin appears in Cinebench R20 multi-core (1596 versus 1350) and Cinebench R15 multi-core (383 versus 324).

Q: Does the Athlon X4 845's higher core count help it in any benchmark?

A: No. Despite having 4 cores compared to the Pentium 6805's 2 cores, the Athlon loses every multi-core test. The Intel processor's superior per-core efficiency, evidenced by its single-core wins, more than offsets the core count disadvantage in threaded workloads.

Q: How do the two processors compare in single-threaded tests?

A: The Pentium 6805 leads in both recorded single-core benchmarks. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 536 versus 453 for the Athlon, a 15.5% margin. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the gap is 225 versus 190, a 15.6% lead.

Q: What are the average benchmark scores for each processor?

A: The Athlon X4 845 averages 1106 across all benchmark results, while the Pentium 6805 averages 1099. Both processors sit at the 31st percentile among all CPUs in the database, indicating they occupy a similar overall performance tier.

Q: Which processor has the higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 845 has a boost clock of 3.80 GHz, compared to the Intel Pentium 6805's 3.00 GHz. Despite the raw clock speed advantage, the Athlon still loses every performance benchmark, demonstrating the Intel architecture's higher instructions-per-clock efficiency.

Q: Are there any benchmarks where the two processors perform equally?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows wins for the Intel Pentium 6805 in all five recorded Cinebench tests. The narrowest margin is 15.4% in multi-core tests, and the widest is 15.6% in Cinebench R20 single-core.

The Verdict

The data points decisively toward the Intel Pentium 6805 for users prioritizing raw compute performance. It wins every benchmark in the comparison set, with consistent margins around 15.4% to 15.6% across both single and multi-threaded workloads. The Pentium 6805 achieves this with only 2 cores and 4 threads, while the Athlon X4 845 fields 4 cores and 4 threads. This outcome indicates that core count alone does not determine performance; architectural efficiency plays a decisive role.

For users who require the strongest possible Cinebench scores, whether for rendering, encoding, or other compute-intensive tasks, the Pentium 6805 is the clear selection based on recorded data. Its single-core advantage of 15.5% in R23 and multi-core advantage of 15.4% in the same test translate directly to faster completion times in workloads that scale with CPU throughput.

The Athlon X4 845, despite its higher clock speeds and doubled core count, cannot overcome the Pentium's architectural lead. Its 3.80 GHz boost clock and 4 physical cores produce lower scores across every measured test. Users considering this processor should note that its raw specifications do not translate into competitive benchmark results against the Pentium 6805.

However, the overall average benchmark scores tell a more nuanced story. The Athlon's 1106 average versus the Pentium's 1099 shows both processors land within the same performance class, and both sit at the 31st percentile among all CPUs. The Pentium's clean sweep in direct comparison does not lift it into a higher overall tier; it simply makes it the better choice within this specific pairing.

The Pentium 6805 also carries an integrated GPU (UHD Graphics with 32 execution units), which the Athlon X4 845 lacks entirely. For systems without a discrete graphics card, this difference could be decisive, as the Athlon would require a separate GPU to produce any display output.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ substantially across nearly every hardware specification. The AMD Athlon X4 845 offers 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Intel Pentium 6805 provides 2 cores and 4 threads. Clock speeds diverge significantly: the Athlon runs at a 3.50 GHz base clock with a 3.80 GHz boost, while the Pentium operates at a 1100.00 MHz base clock (1.10 GHz) with a 3.00 GHz boost. The Athlon's clocks are considerably higher, yet it loses every benchmark.

Thermal design power differs by a wide margin. The Athlon X4 845 is rated at 65 W TDP, while the Pentium 6805 draws only 15 W. This represents a substantial efficiency advantage for the Intel part, which delivers superior performance at less than a quarter of the thermal envelope.

Memory support varies by generation. The Athlon uses DDR3 memory with dual-channel support and a peak bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The Pentium 6805 uses DDR4 memory, also dual-channel, but reaches 51.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel platform offers roughly 50% more memory bandwidth, which can benefit memory-sensitive workloads.

Socket compatibility is entirely different. The Athlon mounts in AMD Socket FM2+, while the Pentium uses Intel BGA 1526, a soldered mobile socket. The processors are physically incompatible and target different system form factors: the Athlon is a desktop part, while the Pentium is designed for mobile devices.

Cache configurations also differ. The Athlon X4 845 carries 320 KB of L1 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache, with no L3 cache. The Pentium 6805 provides 80 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part's L3 cache provides a significant advantage for repeated data access patterns.

Other differences include PCIe support (Gen 3 with 8 CPU lanes for the Athlon versus Gen 3 without lane specification for the Pentium), multiplier unlocking (the Athlon is unlocked, the Pentium is locked), and integrated graphics (the Pentium includes UHD Graphics with 32 execution units, while the Athlon has none). The Pentium also has a launch MSRP of $161, while the Athlon has no recorded launch price.

Architecture Differences

The processors come from fundamentally different architectural lineages. The AMD Athlon X4 845 uses the Excavator architecture under the Carrizo codename, built on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It belongs to the Athlon (Carrizo) generation. The Intel Pentium 6805 uses the Ice Lake architecture under the Ice Lake-Y codename, built on a 10 nm process at Intel, and belongs to the Pentium (Sunny Cove-Y) generation.

The process node difference is substantial: 28 nm versus 10 nm. This three-generation gap in manufacturing technology contributes to the Intel part's efficiency advantage. The Athlon's 28 nm process requires 65 W TDP to achieve its performance, while the Pentium's 10 nm process delivers higher benchmark scores at just 15 W TDP. The die size difference reflects this: the Athlon measures 250 mm² with 3,100 million transistors, while the Pentium's die is 123 mm² with no transistor count recorded.

The architectural philosophies diverge in core design. Excavator is AMD's final evolution of the Bulldozer family, which uses clustered multi-thread designs where each module shares resources between two cores. The Athlon X4 845 has 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning each core handles one thread without simultaneous multithreading. The Ice Lake architecture from Intel uses a more conventional out-of-order execution design with simultaneous multithreading, allowing each of its 2 physical cores to process 2 threads, yielding 4 threads total.

Cache hierarchy differences reflect these architectural choices. The Athlon's 2 MB of L2 cache serves all 4 cores, with no L3 cache. The Pentium's per-core L2 allocation of 256 KB plus a 4 MB shared L3 cache provides a more sophisticated caching structure. The L3 cache is particularly valuable for sharing data between cores and for maintaining working sets that exceed L2 capacity.

Memory architecture also differs. The Athlon's DDR3 support with 34.1 GB/s bandwidth reflects the older platform era, while the Pentium's DDR4 support at 51.2 GB/s represents a newer memory standard. The higher memory bandwidth on the Pentium can reduce stalls in memory-bound workloads, complementing its architectural advantages.

The integrated graphics situation is a fundamental architectural difference. The Pentium 6805 includes UHD Graphics with 32 execution units, making it a complete system-on-chip solution for mobile platforms. The Athlon X4 845 has no integrated graphics, requiring a discrete GPU for any display output. This makes the Pentium a more complete package for compact or low-power systems, while the Athlon targets desktop builds with dedicated graphics cards.

The production status for both processors is end-of-life, and both were released in different eras: the Athlon in February 2016 and the Pentium in September 2020. The four-year gap between releases partially explains the architectural and manufacturing process advantages held by the Intel part. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both use dual-channel memory buses, though with different memory technologies.