AMD Athlon X4 950 vs Intel Core i3-4350 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The benchmark data tells a clear story: the Intel Core i3-4350 wins every single head-to-head comparison in the Cinebench suite. Across all five recorded tests, the i3-4350 takes the top spot, leaving the AMD Athlon X4 950 behind in every instance. This is a complete sweep, with the Intel part holding a consistent advantage no matter the workload.

For multi-threaded productivity, the i3-4350 is the pick. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, it scores 309 against the Athlon's 306, a 1% lead. The gap opens slightly in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where the i3-4350 posts 1291 versus 1277, a 1.1% edge. In Cinebench R23 multi-core, the i3-4350 again leads with 3076 against 3041, a 1.2% margin. The pattern holds across every multi-threaded test: the Intel processor keeps its nose ahead, even though the Athlon has twice the physical cores.

For single-threaded tasks, the i3-4350 also wins, though the margins are tight. In Cinebench R20 single-core, it scores 182 versus 180, a 1.1% lead. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it hits 434 against 429, a 1.2% advantage. These are small but consistent differences. If a user's workload leans on lightly threaded applications, the Intel chip is the safer choice, but the real-world difference will be modest.

The Athlon X4 950 does not win any of the five recorded benchmarks. Its scores are consistently 1% to 1.2% behind the i3-4350. That said, the Athlon's four physical cores versus the i3's two cores plus two threads means the AMD part can still handle multi-threaded workloads reasonably well; it just does not translate that core count into a benchmark victory here. The average benchmark score shows the same story: the i3-4350 sits at 1058, while the Athlon sits at 1047. Both land at the 29th percentile among all CPUs, meaning they occupy the same performance tier overall.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous. The Intel Core i3-4350 is the better processor in every measured category. It wins all five head-to-head tests, has a higher average benchmark score (1058 versus 1047), and holds a small but consistent lead in both single-core and multi-core workloads. Anyone choosing strictly on performance should take the i3-4350.

The AMD Athlon X4 950 is the alternative for a different use case. It offers four physical cores, a 3.80 GHz boost clock, and DDR4 memory support, which the i3-4350 lacks. If a system build requires an AM4 socket or DDR4 RAM, the Athlon is the only one of these two that fits. The i3-4350 is locked to the older Intel Socket 1150 and DDR3 memory. So, for a new build on a modern platform, the Athlon X4 950 is the practical choice, even if it loses every benchmark.

The difference in performance is small enough that it may not matter for everyday use. A 1% to 1.2% margin in Cinebench scores is within the noise of real-world application behavior. Both CPUs sit at the 29th percentile among all processors, meaning they are entry-level parts. Users who already have a Socket 1150 motherboard or DDR3 memory should pick the i3-4350. Users starting fresh with an AM4 board and DDR4 should pick the Athlon X4 950. The benchmark data favors Intel, but platform compatibility is the deciding factor for many builds.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The largest win for the Intel Core i3-4350 comes in Cinebench R23 multi-core. There, the i3-4350 scores 3076 against the Athlon's 3041, a 1.2% delta. That is the biggest percentage gap in the entire comparison, and it appears again in Cinebench R23 single-core, where the i3-4350 posts 434 versus 429, also a 1.2% lead. The R23 suite, being the most modern test in the set, shows the Intel part at its best relative to the Athlon.

In Cinebench R20, the i3-4350 wins both tests by 1.1%. Multi-core sees 1291 against 1277, and single-core sees 182 against 180. The margins are identical in percentage terms, which suggests a consistent per-thread advantage for the Intel architecture. The smallest overall win is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where the i3-4350 scores 309 versus 306, a 1% delta. That is the only sub-1.1% margin in the dataset.

Notably, the Athlon's four cores do not help it close the gap in multi-threaded tests. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the core-count advantage yields only a 3-point deficit. In R20 multi-core, the gap is 14 points. In R23 multi-core, it is 35 points. The trend shows the Intel part pulling slightly further ahead as the workload becomes more demanding, even though the Athlon has twice the physical cores. The i3-4350's hyper-threading and higher base clock of 3.60 GHz against the Athlon's 3.50 GHz base clock appear to compensate for the core deficit.

Single-core results are equally one-sided. The i3-4350 wins by 1.1% in R20 and 1.2% in R23. These margins are small but consistent, indicating that the Haswell architecture has a slight edge over Excavator in per-thread performance. The Athlon's boost clock of 3.80 GHz does not overcome this, as the i3-4350 has no boost clock but a higher base clock.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The Intel Core i3-4350 has an average benchmark score of 1058, while the AMD Athlon X4 950 has 1047. The i3-4350 is ahead by 11 points.

Q: Does the AMD Athlon X4 950 win any benchmark against the Intel Core i3-4350?

A: No. In the five recorded Cinebench tests, the Athlon X4 950 wins zero. The i3-4350 wins all five, with deltas ranging from 1% to 1.2%.

Q: Which processor supports DDR4 memory?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 950 supports DDR4 memory. The Intel Core i3-4350 supports DDR3 only.

Q: What is the core and thread count difference?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 950 has 4 cores and 4 threads. The Intel Core i3-4350 has 2 cores and 4 threads due to hyper-threading.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 950 has a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. The Intel Core i3-4350 has no boost clock; its base clock is 3.60 GHz.

Q: Are both processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes. Both the Intel Core i3-4350 and the AMD Athlon X4 950 sit at the 29th percentile among all CPUs.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i3-4350 is built on the Haswell architecture, using a 22 nm process node manufactured by Intel. It packs 1,400 million transistors into a 177 mm² die. The cache layout is per-core: 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, with a 4 MB shared L3 cache. It features Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics, so no separate GPU is needed for basic display output. The i3-4350 supports PCIe Gen 3 and uses the Intel Socket 1150 platform. Its memory support is DDR3, dual-channel, and it does not support ECC memory.

The AMD Athlon X4 950 uses the Excavator architecture, codenamed Bristol Ridge, built on a 28 nm process node by GlobalFoundries. It contains 3,100 million transistors on a 250 mm² die. The cache structure is different: 320 KB of L1 total and 2 MB of L2 total, with no L3 cache at all. The Athlon has no integrated graphics, so a discrete GPU is mandatory. It supports PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU only. Memory support is DDR4, dual-channel, with a recorded bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. It does not support ECC memory.

The transistor count difference is substantial: the Athlon has more than double the transistors (3,100 million versus 1,400 million), largely due to the larger 250 mm² die and the four physical cores. However, the older 28 nm process means those transistors are less efficient than the 22 nm Haswell parts. The absence of an L3 cache on the Athlon is a notable architectural disadvantage, as the i3-4350's 4 MB shared L3 cache helps feed its two cores with data. The i3-4350 also has integrated graphics, which the Athlon completely lacks.

The memory landscape separates the two clearly. The i3-4350 is tied to DDR3, while the Athlon X4 950 uses DDR4. This is a platform-level decision: the i3-4350 requires an Intel Socket 1150 motherboard, while the Athlon requires an AMD Socket AM4 board. The Athlon's 38.4 GB/s memory bandwidth is a specification advantage, but it does not translate into a benchmark win in the Cinebench suite.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in almost every major specification category.

Cores and threads: The Intel Core i3-4350 has 2 cores and 4 threads. The AMD Athlon X4 950 has 4 cores and 4 threads.

Clock speeds: The i3-4350 has a base clock of 3.60 GHz and no boost clock. The Athlon X4 950 has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz.

TDP: The i3-4350 has a TDP of 54 watts. The Athlon X4 950 has a TDP of 65 watts.

Socket: The i3-4350 uses Intel Socket 1150. The Athlon X4 950 uses AMD Socket AM4.

Process node: The i3-4350 is on 22 nm. The Athlon X4 950 is on 28 nm.

Transistors and die size: The i3-4350 has 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die. The Athlon X4 950 has 3,100 million transistors on a 250 mm² die.

Cache: The i3-4350 has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 4 MB shared L3. The Athlon X4 950 has 320 KB L1 total and 2 MB L2 total, with no L3.

Memory: The i3-4350 supports DDR3, dual-channel. The Athlon X4 950 supports DDR4, dual-channel, with a bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s.

Integrated graphics: The i3-4350 includes Intel HD 4600. The Athlon X4 950 has none.

PCIe: Both support PCIe Gen 3, but the Athlon X4 950 has 8 lanes from the CPU only, while the i3-4350 does not have a lane limitation listed.

Unlocked multiplier: Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier.

Production status: The Athlon X4 950 is listed as Active. The i3-4350's production status is not recorded.

Release date: The i3-4350 was released on 2014-04-30. The Athlon X4 950 was released on 2017-07-26.