AMD PRO A10-8770 vs Intel Core i7-4558U Comparison

The AMD PRO A10-8770 is the clear winner in every benchmark test included in the data, with a 20% or greater lead over the Intel Core i7-4558U across all Cinebench workloads. While both processors sit near the bottom of the global performance distribution (29th and 28th percentiles respectively), the AMD chip’s consistent margin makes it the more capable part for compute-heavy tasks.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most decisive victory for the AMD PRO A10-8770 comes in Cinebench R20 single-core, where it scores 180 against the Intel Core i7-4558U’s 149, a 20.8% advantage. This is the largest percentage gap between the two in any test, suggesting the AMD processor has a meaningful architectural edge in lightly-threaded workloads despite its older Excavator design.

Multi-core results tell a similar story. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD PRO A10-8770 scores 306 versus 255 for the Intel Core i7-4558U, a 20% lead. The gap persists in newer tests: Cinebench R20 multi-core shows 1276 against 1063 (20% delta), while Cinebench R23 multi-core shows 3040 against 2532 (20.1% delta). These consistent margins across three generations of Cinebench indicate the AMD chip’s advantage is not tied to a specific workload optimization but rather to its fundamental hardware configuration.

Single-core performance in the newer Cinebench versions reinforces the pattern. Cinebench R23 single-core has the AMD PRO A10-8770 at 429 points, 20.2% ahead of the Intel Core i7-4558U’s 357. The Intel chip’s best showing is in R15 multi-core, where it still loses by 20%, meaning the AMD processor wins every head-to-head test by a nearly uniform margin.

The overall win count is decisive: the AMD PRO A10-8770 wins all five head-to-head benchmarks, leaving the Intel Core i7-4558U with zero wins. The average benchmark scores reflect this, with the AMD at 1046 versus 1038 for Intel, though this aggregate metric understates the per-test dominance because it includes Geekbench results that only appear for the Intel part.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD PRO A10-8770 wins every workload category tested, making it the straightforward choice for multi-core rendering tasks. Its Cinebench R23 multi-core score of 3040 places it 20.1% ahead of the Intel chip’s 2532, meaning tasks like video rendering, 3D modeling, and batch photo processing will complete noticeably faster on the AMD platform.

For single-core workloads, the AMD PRO A10-8770 also emerges victorious. Its R20 single-core score of 180 and R23 single-core score of 429 both exceed the Intel Core i7-4558U’s corresponding 149 and 357 by roughly 20%. This covers everyday responsiveness, office applications, and legacy software that cannot utilize multiple threads effectively.

The Intel Core i7-4558U does not win a single benchmark in the head-to-head comparison, but it does have the advantage of additional data points. Its Geekbench multi-core score of 1967 and single-core score of 941 are not directly comparable to the AMD chip since no Geekbench results are listed for the PRO A10-8770, so those numbers cannot be used to give Intel a win in any category.

In terms of market positioning, the AMD PRO A10-8770 is a desktop part while the Intel Core i7-4558U is a mobile processor. This means the AMD chip is suited for desktop workstations where sustained performance matters, whereas the Intel part targets thin-and-light laptops where power efficiency takes priority over raw compute.

Architecture Differences

The AMD PRO A10-8770 uses the Excavator architecture on the Carrizo codename, built on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. The chip packs 3,100 million transistors into a 250 mm² die, which is a large physical footprint for a quad-core part. The Intel Core i7-4558U, by contrast, uses the Haswell architecture under the Haswell-ULT codename, manufactured on a 22 nm process at Intel. It contains 1,300 million transistors on a 118 mm² die, meaning the Intel chip is both smaller and more transistor-dense thanks to its more advanced process node.

Cache configurations differ significantly. The AMD PRO A10-8770 has 320 KB of L1 cache and 2 MB of L2 cache, with no L3 cache at all. The Intel Core i7-4558U has 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, but crucially adds 4 MB of shared L3 cache. For a dual-core chip, this gives the Intel part a substantial cache per-core advantage despite its lower raw compute scores.

The AMD processor features an integrated Radeon R7 GPU, while the Intel chip comes with Intel HD 5100 graphics. Both are integrated solutions, but they target different performance levels and driver ecosystems. The AMD part supports DDR4 memory over a dual-channel bus with 38.4 GB/s bandwidth, whereas the Intel chip supports DDR3 memory with no bandwidth figure listed in the data.

The transistor count difference is stark: 3,100 million on AMD versus 1,300 million on Intel. This is partly explained by the AMD chip’s larger die (250 mm² versus 118 mm²) and older 28 nm process, but it also suggests the Excavator design is far more complex per unit of performance. The Intel part achieves results that are only 20% slower while using less than half the transistors and a much smaller die.

Specification Differences

The core and thread counts differ as expected: the AMD PRO A10-8770 has 4 cores and 4 threads, while the Intel Core i7-4558U has 2 cores and 4 threads. The AMD chip’s base clock of 3.50 GHz and boost clock of 3.80 GHz both exceed the Intel part’s 2.80 GHz base and 3.30 GHz boost, which partially explains the AMD performance lead.

Thermal design power is a major differentiator. The AMD PRO A10-8770 has a TDP of 65 watts, while the Intel Core i7-4558U draws only 28 watts. This makes the Intel chip far more suitable for compact mobile designs, though the AMD part’s higher power budget enables its sustained performance advantage.

Sockets and platforms are entirely different. The AMD PRO A10-8770 uses AMD Socket AM4, a desktop socket with PCIe Gen 3 support. The Intel Core i7-4558U uses Intel BGA 1168, a soldered mobile package with no PCIe information listed, meaning it cannot be upgraded and is permanently attached to the motherboard.

Memory support separates the two as well. The AMD part uses DDR4 memory in dual-channel configuration, while the Intel chip uses DDR3. The AMD processor also has a listed memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, a figure not available for the Intel chip. Both processors lack ECC memory support and both have locked multipliers, preventing overclocking.

The production status differs: the AMD PRO A10-8770 is listed as Active, while the Intel Core i7-4558U has no production status listed. The Intel chip has a release date of June 3, 2013, while the AMD part has no release date in the data. The part numbers are AD877BAGM44AB for AMD and SR188 for Intel.

FAQ

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

A: The AMD PRO A10-8770 wins all multi-core tests. It scores 306 versus 255 in Cinebench R15, 1276 versus 1063 in R20, and 3040 versus 2532 in R23, each representing a 20% advantage.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-4558U win any benchmark?

A: No. The head-to-head data shows the AMD PRO A10-8770 winning all five tests, with the Intel chip losing by 20% or more in each.

Q: How do their power requirements compare?

A: The AMD PRO A10-8770 has a 65-watt TDP, while the Intel Core i7-4558U has a 28-watt TDP. The Intel chip consumes less than half the power of the AMD part.

Q: What memory types do they support?

A: The AMD PRO A10-8770 supports DDR4 memory with dual-channel configuration and 38.4 GB/s bandwidth. The Intel Core i7-4558U supports DDR3 memory with no bandwidth figure listed.

Q: Do both processors have integrated graphics?

A: Yes. The AMD PRO A10-8770 includes a Radeon R7 GPU, while the Intel Core i7-4558U includes Intel HD 5100 graphics.

Q: Are these processors unlocked for overclocking?

A: No. Both the AMD PRO A10-8770 and the Intel Core i7-4558U have locked multipliers.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous: the AMD PRO A10-8770 outperforms the Intel Core i7-4558U in every measurable benchmark, with a consistent 20% lead across single-core and multi-core tests. Anyone prioritizing raw compute performance should choose the AMD part, especially for desktop workloads like rendering, video encoding, or any task that scales across four cores.

The Intel Core i7-4558U’s only advantages are practical rather than performance-based. Its 28-watt TDP versus 65 watts for AMD makes it dramatically more power-efficient, which matters for mobile devices where battery life and thermal limits are constraints. Its 4 MB of L3 cache also provides a more conventional memory hierarchy, though this does not translate into benchmark wins.

The AMD PRO A10-8770’s support for DDR4 memory and AMD Socket AM4 gives it a modern platform foundation, whereas the Intel chip’s DDR3 support and soldered BGA package limit its longevity. The AMD part also has an active production status, while Intel’s chip does not.

For desktop users who need maximum compute performance and can tolerate a 65-watt TDP, the AMD PRO A10-8770 is the clear choice. For laptop manufacturers or users prioritizing power efficiency above all else, the Intel Core i7-4558U offers adequate performance at less than half the power draw, but it loses every performance comparison in this data set.