AMD FX-9830P vs Intel Core i7-960 Comparison

The Verdict

The data shows a close but consistent victory for the Intel Core i7-960 across every recorded benchmark. In the head-to-head comparison, the Intel part wins all five tests, with margins ranging from 2.4% to 2.8%. The AMD FX-9830P is not without merit, however: it delivers this near-parity performance while consuming a fraction of the power, with a 35W TDP versus the Intel chip's 130W TDP.

The Intel Core i7-960 is the pick for anyone who needs the slight edge in raw compute throughput, particularly in multi-threaded workloads where its 8 threads give it an advantage over the AMD's 4 threads. The AMD FX-9830P, by contrast, is the sensible choice for mobile or compact systems where power draw and heat output matter more than a 2.7% benchmark delta. Its integrated Radeon R7 graphics also mean it can handle display output without a separate GPU, something the Intel chip cannot do. Both parts sit at the 27th percentile among all CPUs in the database, so neither is a modern performance champion, but the AMD part is a far more practical drop-in for a low-power build.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different eras and design philosophies. The AMD FX-9830P is built on the Excavator architecture, codenamed Bristol Ridge, using a 28nm process from GlobalFoundries. It packs 3,100 million transistors onto a 250 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-960 uses the Nehalem architecture, codenamed Bloomfield, on Intel's 45nm process, with just 731 million transistors on a 263 mm² die. The transistor count difference is stark, but the older Intel design still manages to edge out the AMD part in every test.

Cache layouts differ substantially. The AMD FX-9830P has 320 KB of L1 cache and 1 MB of L2 cache per module, with no L3 cache at all. The Intel Core i7-960 has 64 KB of L1 per core, 256 KB of L2 per core, and a shared 8 MB L3 cache. That large L3 pool likely helps the Intel chip in workloads that benefit from shared data, even with its lower core efficiency per transistor.

Memory support also diverges. The AMD FX-9830P uses DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus, delivering 38.4 GB/s of bandwidth. The Intel Core i7-960 uses DDR3 on a triple-channel bus, with no recorded bandwidth figure. The AMD chip supports PCIe Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel chip only reaches PCIe Gen 2. The AMD part includes integrated Radeon R7 graphics with 8 compute units; the Intel chip has no integrated graphics. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both are locked (multiplier not unlocked). The AMD part targets mobile sockets (AMD Socket FP4), while the Intel chip is a desktop part (Intel Socket 1366).

FAQ

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

A: The Intel Core i7-960 wins all multi-core tests in the head-to-head comparison. It scores 290 versus 282 in Cinebench R15 multi-core, 1211 versus 1178 in R20 multi-core, and 2885 versus 2806 in R23 multi-core. The margins are consistent, around 2.7% to 2.8% in favor of Intel.

Q: Is the AMD FX-9830P competitive in single-core performance?

A: It is close but still loses. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the AMD scores 166 against Intel's 170, a 2.4% deficit. In R23 single-core, the AMD scores 396 against Intel's 407, a 2.7% gap. The AMD part is not faster in any single-threaded test.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-960 have integrated graphics?

A: No. The Intel Core i7-960 has no integrated graphics, so it requires a separate graphics card for display output. The AMD FX-9830P includes Radeon R7 integrated graphics with 8 compute units, which can handle basic display and multimedia tasks on its own.

Q: How do the two chips compare in average benchmark score?

A: The AMD FX-9830P has an average benchmark score of 1006, while the Intel Core i7-960 scores 993. Despite the Intel chip winning every direct head-to-head test, the AMD part has a slightly higher average score when considering a broader set of benchmarks. Both sit at the 27th percentile among all CPUs in the database.

Q: Which processor is more power-efficient?

A: The AMD FX-9830P is far more power-efficient on paper. Its TDP is 35W, while the Intel Core i7-960 has a TDP of 130W. The AMD chip achieves within 2.8% of the Intel chip's performance in head-to-head tests while drawing roughly a quarter of the power budget.

Q: Can the AMD FX-9830P use DDR3 memory?

A: No. The AMD FX-9830P supports DDR4 memory only, on a dual-channel bus. The Intel Core i7-960 supports DDR3 memory on a triple-channel bus. These are not interchangeable platforms.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD FX-9830P | Intel Core i7-960 |

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

| Cores | 4 | 4 |

| Threads | 4 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 3.00 GHz | 3.20 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.70 GHz | 3.47 GHz |

| TDP | 35W | 130W |

| Socket | AMD Socket FP4 | Intel Socket 1366 |

| Architecture | Excavator | Nehalem |

| Codename | Bristol Ridge | Bloomfield |

| Process Node | 28 nm | 45 nm |

| Foundry | GlobalFoundries | Intel |

| Transistors | 3,100 million | 731 million |

| Die Size | 250 mm² | 263 mm² |

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

| L2 Cache | 1 MB (per module) | 256 KB (per core) |

| L3 Cache | None | 8 MB (shared) |

| Memory Support | DDR4 | DDR3 |

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

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

| PCIe | Gen 3, 8 Lanes (CPU only) | Gen 2 |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon R7 8CU | None |

| Market Segment | Mobile | Desktop |

| Release Date | 2016-05-30 | 2009-10-19 |

| Part Number | FM983PAEY44AB | SLBEU |

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data shows a clean sweep for the Intel Core i7-960, but the margins are remarkably tight. The largest gap is in Cinebench R15 multi-core, where Intel wins 290 to 282, a 2.8% difference. That test is the oldest in the set, but the pattern holds across newer workloads.

In Cinebench R20 multi-core, the Intel chip scores 1211 against the AMD's 1178, a 2.7% lead. The single-core R20 test is closer: Intel scores 170, AMD scores 166, a 2.4% margin. Moving to Cinebench R23, Intel again wins multi-core 2885 to 2806, a 2.7% gap, and single-core 407 to 396, also a 2.7% gap. The consistency is notable: the Intel chip leads by roughly the same percentage across every test, regardless of thread count or workload type.

The AMD FX-9830P's best result comes in Geekbench, where it records a multi-core score of 1606 and a single-core score of 605. However, no head-to-head Geekbench result is available for the Intel chip, so those numbers cannot be directly compared. The Intel part does not have a recorded Geekbench score in the database.

Average benchmark scores tell a slightly different story. The AMD FX-9830P averages 1006, while the Intel Core i7-960 averages 993. The AMD chip's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-880 at 1006, the Intel Core i5-10210Y at 1006, and the Intel Core i7-2630QM at 1005. The Intel Core i7-960's nearest rivals include the Intel Core i7-965 at 993, the AMD Phenom II X6 1065T at 993, and the Intel Xeon W3565 at 993. Both chips occupy the same performance tier, with the AMD part slightly ahead in the aggregate average.

Where Each One Wins

The Intel Core i7-960 wins every directly comparable benchmark, so the choice comes down to context beyond raw scores. The Intel chip's 8 threads give it a structural advantage in heavily multi-threaded applications, and its 8 MB of shared L3 cache likely helps in data-heavy workloads. The data shows it leads by 2.8% in Cinebench R15, 2.7% in R20 multi-core, and 2.7% in R23 multi-core. If your workload is purely about compute throughput and you have the power budget and cooling for a 130W desktop chip, the Intel part is the proven winner in these tests.

The AMD FX-9830P wins on platform practicality. Its 35W TDP means it can fit in compact or mobile systems where the Intel's 130W TDP would be prohibitive. It includes Radeon R7 integrated graphics, so a system built around it does not need a discrete GPU for basic display output. It also supports DDR4 memory and PCIe Gen 3, which are more modern standards than the Intel chip's DDR3 and PCIe Gen 2. The AMD part's average benchmark score of 1006 is higher than the Intel's 993, suggesting that in a broader benchmark suite, not just the head-to-head tests, the AMD chip holds its own or slightly outperforms.

Use the Intel Core i7-960 if you already have a Socket 1366 platform, want the highest scores in the recorded tests, and can handle the power draw. Use the AMD FX-9830P if you are building a low-power, compact system, need integrated graphics, or prefer a more modern memory and PCIe standard. Neither part is a recent release, and both sit at the 27th percentile, so expectations should be modest, but the AMD part is far easier to live with in a practical build.