AMD Athlon X4 950 vs Intel Core i3-4360 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The recorded benchmark data splits decisively in favor of the Intel Core i3-4360. Across all five Cinebench tests in the head-to-head comparison, the Intel part takes the win. The AMD Athlon X4 950 does not register a single victory in any of the recorded workloads. This is not a case of one chip dominating in some applications while the other leads elsewhere; the Intel processor wins every single test, albeit by narrow margins.

The use-case split, therefore, is not about which chip wins a given workload, but rather about the magnitude of the wins and the context surrounding them. The Intel Core i3-4360 wins all five tests with deltas ranging from 1.1% to 1.4%. These are small margins, so the practical difference in real-world usage is minimal. However, the consistency of the Intel lead matters: it shows the dual-core, four-thread Haswell design sustained its advantage across every Cinebench iteration, from R15 through R23, in both single-core and multi-core modes.

For workloads that rely on single-thread performance, such as older games or lightly threaded productivity tasks, the Intel Core i3-4360 holds a slight edge. Its single-core score in Cinebench R23 is 435 versus 429 for the AMD, a 1.4% advantage. For multi-threaded rendering tasks, the Intel part leads by 1.3% in Cinebench R23 multi-core, scoring 3082 against 3041. The AMD Athlon X4 950, despite having four physical cores compared to the Intel's two, cannot translate its additional core count into a multi-core victory. The Intel's Hyper-Threading, which provides four threads on two cores, appears to be sufficient to match and slightly exceed the AMD's four physical threads.

The average benchmark scores reinforce this pattern. The Intel Core i3-4360 holds an average benchmark score of 1061, while the AMD Athlon X4 950 sits at 1047. Both processors land in the 29th percentile among all CPUs in the database, placing them in the same performance tier. The Intel chip's nearest rivals include the AMD Opteron 4376 HE with an identical average score of 1061, and the Intel Core i5-4570TE at 1062, a 0.1% difference. The AMD Athlon X4 950's nearest rivals include the AMD PRO A10-8770 at 1046 and the Intel Core i5-6350HQ at 1046, both 0.1% behind.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural eras and design philosophies. The Intel Core i3-4360 is built on the Haswell architecture, manufactured on a 22 nm process at Intel's own foundry. It packs 1,400 million transistors into a die size of 177 mm². The AMD Athlon X4 950 uses the Excavator architecture, part of the Bristol Ridge generation, produced on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. This chip contains 3,100 million transistors on a significantly larger 250 mm² die.

The core configurations differ fundamentally. The Intel part offers 2 cores and 4 threads, relying on Hyper-Threading to double its logical thread count. The AMD part provides 4 physical cores and 4 threads, with no simultaneous multi-threading. This means the AMD chip has twice the physical core count, but the Intel chip matches the total thread count through its architectural advantage.

Cache layouts also diverge. The Intel Core i3-4360 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 4 MB of shared L3 cache. The AMD Athlon X4 950 has a total of 320 KB of L1 cache, 2 MB of L2 cache, and no L3 cache at all. The absence of L3 cache on the AMD side is notable; the Intel processor has a dedicated shared L3 pool that the AMD chip simply lacks.

Memory support separates the two as well. The Intel Core i3-4360 supports DDR3 memory over a dual-channel bus, and does not support ECC. The AMD Athlon X4 950 supports DDR4 memory, also dual-channel, with a rated memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The AMD chip's memory bandwidth figure is recorded in the database, while the Intel part has no such figure listed. The Intel processor uses PCIe Gen 3, and the AMD chip also uses Gen 3 but with only 8 lanes available from the CPU.

Clock speeds are similar in nominal terms. The Intel Core i3-4360 runs at a fixed 3.70 GHz with no boost clock. The AMD Athlon X4 950 has a base clock of 3.50 GHz and a boost clock of 3.80 GHz. The Intel chip's 3.70 GHz is higher than the AMD's base clock but lower than its boost. The Intel processor has an integrated GPU, the Intel HD 4600, while the AMD chip has no integrated graphics. The AMD part requires a discrete GPU, as does the Intel part for gaming, but the Intel option at least provides a basic display output. The Intel chip draws 54 watts TDP versus 65 watts for the AMD, and the Intel part is not multiplier-unlocked. Neither chip offers ECC support.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The Cinebench R15 multi-core test opens the comparison. The Intel Core i3-4360 scores 310, and the AMD Athlon X4 950 scores 306. The Intel chip wins by 1.3%. This early result sets the tone: a narrow but consistent lead for the Intel part.

Cinebench R20 multi-core shows a similar picture. The Intel Core i3-4360 records 1294, while the AMD Athlon X4 950 manages 1277. The delta is again 1.3% in favor of Intel. The absolute gap of 17 points is small, but it holds.

Single-core performance in Cinebench R20 shows the Intel chip ahead by 1.1%. The Intel Core i3-4360 scores 182, and the AMD Athlon X4 950 scores 180. This is the tightest margin in the entire comparison, a mere 2 points. The Intel part's higher base clock of 3.70 GHz versus the AMD's 3.50 GHz base likely contributes to this edge, although the AMD chip can boost to 3.80 GHz.

Cinebench R23 multi-core repeats the pattern. The Intel Core i3-4360 scores 3082, and the AMD Athlon X4 950 scores 3041. The Intel chip wins by 1.3%. The gap of 41 points is the largest absolute difference in any test, but the percentage delta remains consistent with the other multi-core results.

The final test, Cinebench R23 single-core, gives the Intel chip its largest percentage win at 1.4%. The Intel Core i3-4360 scores 435, and the AMD Athlon X4 950 scores 429. The 6-point difference is modest, but it is the most pronounced relative advantage the Intel chip achieves anywhere in the suite.

Across all five tests, the Intel Core i3-4360 wins with deltas between 1.1% and 1.4%. The AMD Athlon X4 950 never leads. The data shows that the Intel chip's advantage is uniform, not concentrated in any particular workload type. Single-core and multi-core performance both favor Intel by roughly the same margin.

The Verdict

The benchmark data points to a clear, if narrow, winner: the Intel Core i3-4360. It wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests, with deltas from 1.1% to 1.4%. The AMD Athlon X4 950 cannot claim a single victory in the recorded data. The Intel chip's average benchmark score of 1061 also edges out the AMD chip's 1047.

For users who prioritize raw multi-core rendering throughput, the AMD Athlon X4 950's four physical cores do not deliver a win. The Intel Core i3-4360's two cores with four threads outperform the AMD chip's four cores with four threads in every multi-core test. This suggests that the Intel architecture extracts more useful work per thread, or that the AMD chip's lack of L3 cache and older Excavator design holds it back despite the core count advantage.

For single-threaded workloads, the Intel chip also leads, though by a hair. The Cinebench R23 single-core score of 435 versus 429 is a 1.4% advantage. This is small enough that most users would not notice a difference in everyday use, but it is a consistent edge.

The AMD Athlon X4 950 does bring certain platform benefits that the data supports. It supports DDR4 memory with a rated bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, whereas the Intel chip uses DDR3. It also has a boost clock of 3.80 GHz, which is higher than the Intel chip's fixed 3.70 GHz. The AMD chip has twice the physical cores, which could be relevant in workloads not captured by Cinebench, although the recorded data does not show any advantage from this.

The Intel chip, however, has the integrated GPU advantage. The Intel HD 4600 provides a basic display output, which the AMD chip lacks entirely. For a system without a discrete GPU, the Intel chip is the only viable option. The Intel part also has a lower TDP of 54 watts versus 65 watts for the AMD chip.

The verdict from the data: choose the Intel Core i3-4360 if you want the higher benchmark scores across the board, integrated graphics, and lower power draw. Choose the AMD Athlon X4 950 if you need DDR4 memory support, a higher boost clock, or prefer a quad-core physical layout, accepting that the recorded benchmarks do not show a performance reward for those features.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher multi-core score in Cinebench R23?

A: The Intel Core i3-4360 scores 3082, while the AMD Athlon X4 950 scores 3041. The Intel chip leads by 1.3%.

Q: Does the AMD Athlon X4 950 win any benchmark in the head-to-head comparison?

A: No. The AMD Athlon X4 950 records zero wins across all five Cinebench tests. The Intel Core i3-4360 wins every test.

Q: What is the memory bandwidth of the AMD Athlon X4 950?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 950 has a rated memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s over a dual-channel DDR4 bus.

Q: Does the Intel Core i3-4360 have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i3-4360 includes the Intel HD 4600 integrated GPU. The AMD Athlon X4 950 has no integrated graphics.

Q: What is the TDP difference between the two processors?

A: The Intel Core i3-4360 has a TDP of 54 watts, and the AMD Athlon X4 950 has a TDP of 65 watts.

Q: Which chip has more physical cores?

A: The AMD Athlon X4 950 has 4 physical cores and 4 threads. The Intel Core i3-4360 has 2 physical cores and 4 threads, using Hyper-Threading.

Specification Differences

| Specification | Intel Core i3-4360 | AMD Athlon X4 950 |

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

| Cores | 2 | 4 |

| Threads | 4 | 4 |

| Base Clock | 3.70 GHz | 3.50 GHz |

| Boost Clock | None | 3.80 GHz |

| TDP | 54 W | 65 W |

| Socket | Intel Socket 1150 | AMD Socket AM4 |

| Architecture | Haswell | Excavator |

| Codename | Haswell | Bristol Ridge |

| Process Node | 22 nm | 28 nm |

| Foundry | Intel | GlobalFoundries |

| Transistors | 1,400 million | 3,100 million |

| Die Size | 177 mm² | 250 mm² |

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

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

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

| Memory Support | DDR3 | DDR4 |

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

| Memory Bandwidth | Not recorded | 38.4 GB/s |

| ECC Memory | No | No |

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

| Integrated Graphics | Intel HD 4600 | None |

| Release Date | 2014-04-30 | 2017-07-26 |

| Production Status | Not recorded | Active |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | No |

| Part Number | Not recorded | AD950XAGM44AB |