AMD Athlon X4 970 vs Intel Core i5-4570 Comparison

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i5-4570 dominates this comparison, winning 15 of 16 recorded head-to-head benchmark tests. Its victories span nearly every workload category, from render workloads to data compression, encryption, and physics simulation. The AMD Athlon X4 970 claims exactly one win, in PassMark integer math, where it posts a score of 19,174 against the Intel chip's 15,415, a 19.6% advantage.

The most lopsided Intel victories come in PassMark extended instructions and prime number finding. In the extended instructions test, the i5-4570 scores 5,961 versus 2,156, a 176.5% lead. In the prime number test, the i5-4570 scores 31 against 11, a 181.8% margin. These two results indicate a substantial gap in raw computational throughput for specialized instruction workloads, likely reflecting the architectural gulf between the two designs.

For floating-point math, the i5-4570 again dominates. It scores 11,706 against the Athlon's 6,049, a 93.5% advantage. This nearly doubles the AMD part's output and points to a significant weakness in the Excavator architecture for FP-heavy tasks. In physics simulation, the Intel part scores 395 versus 243, a 62.6% lead. Random string sorting shows a 63.1% edge for Intel, with scores of 9,992 and 6,128.

The render workloads tell a consistent story. Cinebench R15 multicore shows 447 for Intel against 310 for AMD, a 44.2% lead. Cinebench R20 multicore shows 1,865 versus 1,294, a 44.1% lead. Cinebench R23 multicore shows 4,442 versus 3,081, a 44.2% lead. The single-core Cinebench results are similarly one-sided: R20 single-core gives Intel a 44.5% edge (263 versus 182), and R23 single-core gives a 44.1% edge (627 versus 435).

The PassMark multithread test shows Intel at 5,238 versus 3,625, a 44.5% lead. Single-thread performance also favors Intel, with PassMark scores of 2,033 versus 1,658, a 22.6% margin. Data compression shows a smaller but still decisive gap: 75,010 versus 62,454, a 20.1% lead for Intel. Data encryption also favors Intel, 1,321 versus 1,146, a 15.3% edge.

The AMD Athlon X4 970 has no other wins. Its sole bright spot is integer math, where the Excavator core design appears to excel relative to its other weaknesses. Even with this victory, the overall benchmark picture is unambiguous: the i5-4570 is faster in nearly every measurable category.

The Verdict

The data supports a clear verdict: the Intel Core i5-4570 is the superior processor for almost all workloads. It wins 15 of 16 head-to-head tests, and its margins are often enormous. The AMD Athlon X4 970 should only be considered if the workload is specifically integer math, where it holds a 19.6% advantage.

For users running render workloads, the i5-4570 is decisively ahead. Cinebench R23 multicore shows a 44.2% lead, and the single-core tests show a similar 44.1% gap. This means the Intel part completes rendering tasks in substantially less time. The same applies to physics simulation, where the Intel chip leads by 62.6%, and to floating-point math, where it nearly doubles the AMD part's score.

The Athlon X4 970 does have a place in the database. Its integer math score of 19,174 is the highest recorded result for either chip in that test. A system built around this AMD part could be suitable for integer-heavy workloads, though the rest of its benchmark profile is weak. The i5-4570 also matches the Athlon in average benchmark score territory relative to the broader CPU database: both sit at the 63rd percentile among all CPUs. The Intel part's average benchmark score is 7,421, while the Athlon's is 6,850.

The i5-4570's nearest rivals in the database include the Intel Core i9-9990XE, which scores 7,415 with a 0.1% delta, and the AMD EPYC 7282, which scores 7,409 with a 0.2% delta. The Athlon X4 970's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i3-1115G4 and the AMD Athlon Silver 10, both with an average score around 6,850. This places the two chips in entirely different performance neighborhoods, despite their shared percentile ranking.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The biggest win for the Intel Core i5-4570 comes in the PassMark extended instructions test. The Intel part scores 5,961 against the AMD chip's 2,156, a 176.5% margin. This is the single largest delta in the entire head-to-head set. The prime number test is nearly as extreme, with Intel at 31 and AMD at 11, a 181.8% delta.

Floating-point math is another major Intel victory. The i5-4570 scores 11,706, while the Athlon X4 970 scores 6,049. That is a 93.5% lead, meaning the Intel part delivers almost twice the FP throughput. In physics simulation, Intel scores 395 versus 243, a 62.6% lead. Random string sorting shows Intel at 9,992 versus 6,128, a 63.1% margin.

The Cinebench suite is consistently in Intel's favor. R15 multicore: 447 versus 310, a 44.2% lead. R20 multicore: 1,865 versus 1,294, a 44.1% lead. R23 multicore: 4,442 versus 3,081, a 44.2% lead. The single-core tests are equally consistent: R20 single-core has Intel at 263 versus 182, a 44.5% lead, and R23 single-core has Intel at 627 versus 435, a 44.1% lead. PassMark multithread also shows a 44.5% gap, with Intel at 5,238 and AMD at 3,625.

Data compression and encryption are closer but still favor Intel. Compression scores are 75,010 versus 62,454, a 20.1% lead. Encryption scores are 1,321 versus 1,146, a 15.3% lead. Single-thread PassMark shows Intel at 2,033 versus 1,658, a 22.6% margin.

The only AMD victory is in integer math. The Athlon X4 970 scores 19,174, while the i5-4570 scores 15,415. The delta is negative 19.6% from Intel's perspective, meaning the AMD chip is that much faster. This is the sole test where the Excavator architecture outperforms Haswell.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core rendering?

A: The Intel Core i5-4570. In Cinebench R23 multicore, it scores 4,442 versus 3,081 for the AMD Athlon X4 970, a 44.2% lead.

Q: Does the AMD Athlon X4 970 win any benchmark?

A: Yes, it wins the PassMark integer math test with a score of 19,174, which is 19.6% higher than the Intel Core i5-4570's 15,415.

Q: How do the two processors compare in single-core performance?

A: The Intel Core i5-4570 leads in every single-core test. In Cinebench R23 single-core, it scores 627 versus 435, a 44.1% lead. In PassMark single-thread, it scores 2,033 versus 1,658, a 22.6% lead.

Q: What is the largest performance gap between the two chips?

A: The largest gap is in PassMark extended instructions, where the Intel Core i5-4570 scores 5,961 versus 2,156 for the AMD Athlon X4 970, a 176.5% lead. The prime number test is close behind at 181.8% in Intel's favor.

Q: How does each processor rank among all CPUs in the database?

A: Both processors sit at the 63rd percentile. The Intel Core i5-4570 has an average benchmark score of 7,421, while the AMD Athlon X4 970 has an average of 6,850.

Q: Which workloads favor the AMD Athlon X4 970?

A: The data shows only one workload: integer math. The Athlon X4 970 scores 19,174 in PassMark integer math, surpassing the i5-4570's 15,415.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from fundamentally different architectural lineages. The Intel Core i5-4570 is built on the Haswell architecture, using a 22 nm process node from Intel with 1,400 million transistors on a 177 mm² die. The AMD Athlon X4 970 uses the Excavator architecture, codenamed Bristol Ridge, built on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries with 3,100 million transistors on a 250 mm² die.

The cache structures differ significantly. The i5-4570 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 cache per core, plus a 6 MB shared L3 cache. The Athlon X4 970 has 320 KB of total L1 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache, with no L3 cache at all. The absence of L3 cache on the AMD part is a major architectural disadvantage, as the i5-4570 can draw on 6 MB of shared L3.

The Intel part includes integrated graphics, specifically Intel HD 4600, while the AMD Athlon X4 970 has no integrated graphics listed. This means the i5-4570 can power a display without a discrete GPU, while the Athlon requires a separate graphics card.

Memory support also differs. The i5-4570 supports DDR3 memory on a dual-channel bus. The Athlon X4 970 supports DDR4 memory, also dual-channel, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The i5-4570's memory bandwidth figure is not recorded in the database.

PCIe support is Gen 3 for both, but the Athlon X4 970 has 8 lanes from the CPU only, while the Intel part's lane configuration is not specified in the database.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on several specification fields. The i5-4570 has a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.60 GHz. The Athlon X4 970 has a base clock of 3.80 GHz and a boost clock of 4.00 GHz. Despite the AMD chip's higher clocks, the Intel part wins nearly every benchmark, illustrating that clock speed alone does not determine performance.

The thermal design power differs: the i5-4570 is rated at 84 W, while the Athlon X4 970 is rated at 65 W. The sockets are incompatible, with the Intel part using Intel Socket 1150 and the AMD part using AMD Socket AM4.

The process node differs, with Intel at 22 nm and AMD at 28 nm. Transistor count and die size also differ, with the AMD part having more transistors (3,100 million versus 1,400 million) and a larger die (250 mm² versus 177 mm²).

Release dates differ as well. The i5-4570 was released on June 1, 2013, while the Athlon X4 970 was released on July 26, 2017. The Athlon is listed as active in production status, while the i5-4570's production status is not recorded.

Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier. The i5-4570 has the part number SR14E, while the Athlon X4 970 has the part number AD970XAUABBOXAD970XAUM44AB. Neither chip has ECC memory support, and the launch MSRP is not recorded for either.