AMD PRO A10-8770E vs Intel Core i7-930 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The direct comparison between the AMD PRO A10-8770E and the Intel Core i7-930 is remarkably close across the board. Out of five recorded head-to-head benchmarks, the AMD part takes three wins, while the Intel part takes two, but every margin is razor-thin. In Cinebench R15 multicore, both processors score exactly 258 points, resulting in a 0% delta, meaning neither chip gains a measurable edge in that workload. The Cinebench R20 multicore test shows the Intel Core i7-930 at 1076 points against the AMD PRO A10-8770E at 1075 points, a delta of only 0.1% in favor of Intel. The Cinebench R23 multicore result follows the same pattern: Intel scores 2563, AMD scores 2560, again a 0.1% difference. Those multicore numbers effectively put the two chips on equal footing, with swings so small they could be run-to-run variance.

Single-core performance is even tighter. In Cinebench R20 single-core, both chips record exactly 151 points, a 0% delta, with the database crediting the win to the AMD PRO A10-8770E. The Cinebench R23 single-core test repeats this exact outcome: both score 361 points, again with the AMD chip listed as the winner due to the tie-breaking convention in the data. The pattern is clear: neither processor has any meaningful single-threaded advantage over the other. The average benchmark score across all recorded tests is 895 for the AMD part and 882 for the Intel part, a gap of roughly 1.5% in favor of AMD. This places the AMD PRO A10-8770E at the 24th percentile of all CPUs in the database, while the Intel Core i7-930 sits at the 23rd percentile, confirming that these are very close performers in the grand scheme of CPU rankings.

The nearest rivals in the database reinforce this picture. The AMD PRO A10-8770E is bracketed by the Intel Core i5-5300U and Intel Pentium G4600T, both at an average score of 895 (0% delta), followed by the AMD Ryzen 3 3200U at 893 (0.2% behind) and the Intel Core i3-6100 at 888 (0.7% behind). The Intel Core i7-930, meanwhile, sits near the AMD Athlon Silver 7120U, AMD Phenom II X6 1035T, and Intel Core i3-1000NG4, all at 881 (0.1% ahead of the i7-930), with the AMD PRO A12-8870E at 880 (0.2% ahead). These rival clusters show that both chips occupy the same performance tier, with no significant separation between them.

Where Each One Wins

Looking strictly at the benchmark wins, the AMD PRO A10-8770E takes the edge in three of the five head-to-head tests. Those wins come in Cinebench R15 multicore (tie at 258), Cinebench R20 single-core (tie at 151), and Cinebench R23 single-core (tie at 361). The Intel Core i7-930 wins the remaining two tests: Cinebench R20 multicore (1076 vs. 1075) and Cinebench R23 multicore (2563 vs. 2560). Since all the wins are ties or near-ties, the practical interpretation is that neither chip has a real strength worth choosing it for. The AMD part claims more nominal wins, but the Intel part edges ahead in the two most recent multicore render tests, which often matter more for threaded productivity workloads.

For single-threaded applications, the data shows no winner. Both chips score identically in Cinebench R20 and R23 single-core, so any decision based on lightly threaded software will not be helped by picking one over the other. For heavily threaded workloads, the Intel Core i7-930 holds a microscopic advantage in Cinebench R20 and R23 multicore, but the 0.1% delta is far below what any user would notice in real-world rendering, encoding, or compilation. The AMD PRO A10-8770E counters with a matching score in Cinebench R15 multicore, making the multicore story essentially a dead heat.

The production status differs starkly, and that may matter more than raw benchmark deltas. The AMD PRO A10-8770E is listed as Active, meaning it is still a current product, while the Intel Core i7-930 is End-of-life, with a release date of February 27, 2010. For a new build, the AMD part is the only one you can buy with current availability. For upgrading an old Socket 1366 system, the Intel part is the only one that fits.

Architecture Differences

The architectural gap between these two processors is substantial, even if the benchmark results are not. The AMD PRO A10-8770E uses the Excavator architecture, codenamed Carrizo, built on a 28 nm process at GlobalFoundries. It packs 3,100 million transistors into a 250 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-930 uses the Nehalem architecture, codenamed Bloomfield, built on a 45 nm process at Intel, with just 731 million transistors on a 263 mm² die. That process difference explains why the AMD chip achieves similar performance at a 35 W TDP, while the Intel chip draws 130 W. The AMD part is far more power-efficient, using roughly a quarter of the power budget to match the Intel chip's output.

Cache configurations also differ significantly. The AMD PRO A10-8770E has a 320 KB L1 cache and a 2 MB L2 cache, with no L3 cache at all. The Intel Core i7-930 has a smaller per-core L1 (64 KB per core, which totals 256 KB across four cores) and a smaller per-core L2 (256 KB per core, totaling 1 MB across four cores), but it adds a shared 8 MB L3 cache. That L3 cache is a notable architectural advantage for the Intel part in workloads that benefit from larger pooled caches, though the benchmark data does not show it translating into a measurable performance lead.

Memory support is another point of divergence. The AMD PRO A10-8770E supports DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus, with a recorded memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The Intel Core i7-930 supports DDR3 memory on a triple-channel bus, with no bandwidth figure recorded in the database. The AMD chip also uses PCIe Gen 3, while the Intel chip uses PCIe Gen 2. Neither chip supports ECC memory, and neither has an unlocked multiplier.

The AMD PRO A10-8770E includes integrated Radeon R7 graphics, while the Intel Core i7-930 has no integrated graphics at all. That is a decisive feature for systems without a discrete GPU. Sockets are completely different: the AMD chip uses AMD Socket AM4, while the Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1366, meaning there is no motherboard compatibility between the two.

FAQ

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

A: The recorded data shows a dead tie. Both the AMD PRO A10-8770E and Intel Core i7-930 score exactly 151 in Cinebench R20 single-core and exactly 361 in Cinebench R23 single-core, with 0% deltas.

Q: Which processor wins in multicore performance?

A: The Intel Core i7-930 holds a marginal lead in Cinebench R20 multicore (1076 vs. 1075) and Cinebench R23 multicore (2563 vs. 2560), both by 0.1%. In Cinebench R15 multicore, both score an identical 258.

Q: Does the AMD PRO A10-8770E have integrated graphics?

A: Yes, it includes Radeon R7 integrated graphics. The Intel Core i7-930 has no integrated graphics, so a discrete GPU is required for any display output.

Q: What are the power consumption differences?

A: The AMD PRO A10-8770E has a 35 W TDP, while the Intel Core i7-930 has a 130 W TDP. The AMD chip delivers comparable benchmark scores at a much lower power envelope.

Q: Can I use the same motherboard for both processors?

A: No. The AMD PRO A10-8770E uses AMD Socket AM4, while the Intel Core i7-930 uses Intel Socket 1366. They require entirely different platforms.

Q: Is one processor still in production?

A: The AMD PRO A10-8770E is listed as Active in the database. The Intel Core i7-930 is listed as End-of-life, released on February 27, 2010.

The Verdict

The benchmark data makes this comparison almost a non-decision on performance grounds. The AMD PRO A10-8770E and Intel Core i7-930 produce statistically indistinguishable results across every recorded test, with the largest delta being 0.1% in favor of Intel in two multicore tests. The AMD chip's three nominal wins are all ties, and the Intel chip's two wins are both 0.1% margins. No user will feel a difference between these two in real applications.

The deciding factors are entirely non-benchmark related. The AMD PRO A10-8770E is the only one with integrated graphics, which eliminates the need for a discrete GPU in basic builds. It also has a dramatically lower TDP of 35 W versus 130 W, making it far easier to cool and cheaper to run. It is still an active product, so it is available for new systems. The Intel Core i7-930, on the other hand, is end-of-life, uses a dead socket, and draws nearly four times the power for the same performance.

For a new build, the AMD PRO A10-8770E is the obvious choice, not because it is faster, but because it is current, power-efficient, and includes graphics. For someone with an existing Socket 1366 motherboard, the Intel Core i7-930 could be a drop-in upgrade, but the data shows it offers no performance benefit over the AMD part, so there is no reason to seek it out unless the platform is already in hand. The recorded scores place both chips in the 23rd to 24th percentile of all CPUs, meaning neither is a performance powerhouse. They are entry-level desktop parts, and the AMD chip does that job with far less power and more integrated capability.

Specification Differences

| Specification | AMD PRO A10-8770E | Intel Core i7-930 |

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

| Cores | 4 | 4 |

| Threads | 4 | 8 |

| Base Clock | 2.80 GHz | 2.80 GHz |

| Boost Clock | 3.50 GHz | 3.07 GHz |

| TDP | 35 W | 130 W |

| Socket | AMD Socket AM4 | Intel Socket 1366 |

| Architecture | Excavator | Nehalem |

| Codename | Carrizo | 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 | 2 MB | 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 | Gen 2 |

| Integrated Graphics | Radeon R7 | None |

| Production Status | Active | End-of-life |

| Release Date | Not recorded | 2010-02-27 |

| Multiplier Unlocked | No | No |

| Part Number | AD877BAHM44AB | SLBKP |