AMD PRO A10-8770E vs Intel Core i5-4258U Comparison

The Intel Core i5-4258U and AMD PRO A10-8770E represent two very different philosophies in processor design, and the benchmark data reflects a fascinating split. The Intel part, a 2-core/4-thread Haswell mobile chip, dominates in Geekbench, while the AMD PRO A10-8770E, a 4-core/4-thread Excavator desktop part, takes every Cinebench test. The data shows a clear division: the AMD wins 5 of 7 head-to-head benchmarks, but the Intel scores its victories by margins that are far more decisive.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result is in Geekbench, where the Intel Core i5-4258U delivers a commanding performance. In the single-core test, the Intel scores 844 against the AMD’s 572, a delta of 47.6% in Intel’s favor. This is the largest gap in the entire comparison. The multi-core Geekbench result tells a similar story, with Intel’s 1664 beating AMD’s 1291, a 28.9% advantage. These are not marginal wins; they indicate a fundamental difference in how each architecture handles the workloads Geekbench measures.

Conversely, the AMD PRO A10-8770E sweeps the Cinebench suite, though by narrower margins. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD scores 258 versus Intel’s 222, a 14% difference. The gap narrows slightly in Cinebench R20 multi-core, where AMD’s 1075 beats Intel’s 929 by 13.6%. The pattern holds for single-core Cinebench results: AMD’s 151 in R20 single-core tops Intel’s 131 by 13.2%, and in R23 single-core, AMD’s 361 beats Intel’s 312 by 13.6%. The R23 multi-core test shows AMD’s 2560 against Intel’s 2213, again a 13.6% delta.

The average benchmark scores place these chips nearly on top of each other. The Intel i5-4258U averages 902, while the AMD PRO A10-8770E averages 895. This near-parity in the aggregate is reflected in their identical 24th percentile ranking among all CPUs. The nearest rivals for the Intel part include the Intel Core i5-5350U (avg score 903, delta -0.1%) and the Intel Core i7-940 (avg score 903, delta -0.2%), showing it sits in a very tight cluster. The AMD’s nearest rivals include the Intel Core i5-5300U (avg score 895, delta 0%) and the Pentium G4600T (avg score 895, delta 0%), indicating it is equally well-matched with its peers. The data suggests that while the raw scores differ per test, the overall compute capability is remarkably similar, but the character of that performance is entirely different.

Architecture Differences

The fundamental architectural split is immediate: the Intel Core i5-4258U is a 2-core, 4-thread part built on Intel’s 22nm Haswell architecture, while the AMD PRO A10-8770E is a 4-core, 4-thread processor on AMD’s 28nm Excavator architecture (codenamed Carrizo). This difference in core count and process node explains much of the performance divergence. Intel’s smaller 22nm node allows for a die size of just 118 mm² containing 1,400 million transistors, whereas AMD’s 28nm process results in a much larger 250 mm² die with 3,100 million transistors.

Cache hierarchies are also distinct. The Intel part features 64 KB of L1 cache per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, plus a shared 3 MB L3 cache. The AMD part has a larger total L1 cache at 320 KB and 2 MB of L2, but notably has no L3 cache at all. This absence of L3 on the AMD is a significant architectural choice that likely impacts its Geekbench performance, where Intel’s shared L3 cache can be leveraged more effectively.

Memory support differs as well. The Intel Core i5-4258U supports DDR3 memory and is a mobile part on the Intel BGA 1168 socket. The AMD PRO A10-8770E, by contrast, supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a specified memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s, and it uses the desktop AMD Socket AM4. The AMD also lists PCIe Gen 3 support, while the Intel’s PCIe details are not provided in the data. Both chips integrate graphics: the Intel has an HD 5100 iGPU, while the AMD has a Radeon R7.

Clock speeds favor the AMD on paper. The Intel runs at a 2.40 GHz base clock and 2.90 GHz boost, while the AMD runs at 2.80 GHz base and 3.50 GHz boost. The AMD’s higher clocks across the board help explain its Cinebench wins, particularly in single-core tests, despite the Intel’s architectural efficiency. The thermal design points differ too, with the Intel rated at 28W TDP versus the AMD’s 35W TDP. The Intel part is from the Haswell generation, released on 2013-06-03, while the AMD’s release date is not listed in the data, though its production status is marked as "Active."

The Verdict

The data presents a clear, if paradoxical, verdict: neither chip is universally superior, and the choice depends entirely on the workload. The AMD PRO A10-8770E is the winner for Cinebench-style rendering and multi-threaded content creation, taking all five Cinebench tests with deltas between 13.2% and 14%. Its 4 physical cores and higher clock speeds give it a consistent edge in these compute-heavy tasks. For anyone whose primary use is video rendering, 3D modeling, or other Cinebench-like workloads, the AMD is the data-backed pick.

The Intel Core i5-4258U, however, is the clear winner for Geekbench-style workloads, which often reflect more varied, real-world application performance. Its 47.6% lead in Geekbench single-core and 28.9% lead in multi-core are massive margins that cannot be ignored. This suggests the Intel part has a significant advantage in tasks that rely on single-threaded responsiveness and lower-latency memory access, likely due to its shared L3 cache and more efficient Haswell architecture. For a user prioritizing snappy desktop feel, office productivity, and lighter multitasking, the Intel part is the superior choice based on the benchmark results.

The identical 24th percentile ranking and near-identical average scores (902 vs 895) indicate that in a broad mix of tasks, these processors would perform comparably. However, the specific benchmark results show that the "average" hides a stark polarization. The AMD wins the Cinebench battles, the Intel wins the Geekbench war. The production status of the AMD is "Active," while no status is given for the Intel, which may be relevant for procurement decisions. Ultimately, the data says: pick the AMD for raw multi-core rendering throughput, pick the Intel for general-purpose speed and responsiveness.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The AMD PRO A10-8770E has 4 physical cores and 4 threads, while the Intel Core i5-4258U has 2 physical cores and 4 threads.

Q: How big is the performance gap in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD PRO A10-8770E scores 2560 in Cinebench R23 multi-core, which is 13.6% ahead of the Intel Core i5-4258U’s score of 2213.

Q: Does the Intel part win any benchmark tests?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i5-4258U wins both Geekbench tests. It scores 844 in single-core (a 47.6% lead) and 1664 in multi-core (a 28.9% lead) over the AMD.

Q: What is the difference in memory support between the two?

A: The Intel Core i5-4258U supports DDR3 memory, while the AMD PRO A10-8770E supports DDR4 memory with a dual-channel bus and a 38.4 GB/s memory bandwidth.

Q: Which processor has a smaller manufacturing process node?

A: The Intel Core i5-4258U uses a 22nm process node, which is smaller than the 28nm node used by the AMD PRO A10-8770E.

Q: How do their average benchmark scores compare?

A: The Intel Core i5-4258U has an average benchmark score of 902, while the AMD PRO A10-8770E has an average score of 895, a difference of less than 1%.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD PRO A10-8770E wins in all Cinebench tests: R15 multi-core (258 vs 222), R20 multi-core (1075 vs 929), R20 single-core (151 vs 131), R23 multi-core (2560 vs 2213), and R23 single-core (361 vs 312). These are consistent wins with deltas ranging from 13.2% to 14%. This makes the AMD the clear choice for any workload that mirrors Cinebench’s rendering algorithm, including 3D modeling, animation rendering, and video encoding that scales with core count. The AMD’s higher base and boost clocks (2.80 GHz and 3.50 GHz) compared to the Intel’s (2.40 GHz and 2.90 GHz) likely contribute to these sustained wins.

The Intel Core i5-4258U wins the Geekbench multi-core test (1664 vs 1291) and the Geekbench single-core test (844 vs 572). The 47.6% single-core advantage is particularly notable, indicating a major strength in latency-sensitive and lightly-threaded tasks. This points to wins in everyday computing: web browsing, document editing, spreadsheet work, and other applications where a single core’s speed and efficiency matter most. The Intel’s 3 MB shared L3 cache, which the AMD lacks entirely, likely plays a role in this superiority.

The overall score distribution shows the AMD winning 5 of the 7 individual benchmarks, but the Intel winning the two Geekbench tests by much larger margins. Therefore, the use-case split is stark: choose the AMD PRO A10-8770E for dedicated compute and rendering tasks, and choose the Intel Core i5-4258U for general-purpose, interactive, and single-threaded workloads. The data does not support a single "best" chip, only the best chip for a given task.