CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i7-940 and AMD PRO A10-8770E represent two very different approaches to the desktop CPU, separated by nearly a decade of silicon evolution. The benchmark data shows a consistent, though narrow, victory for the older Intel part across all shared Cinebench tests, while the AMD chip counters with a lower power envelope and modern platform features. This analysis will break down the head-to-head results, architectural disparities, and what the numbers mean for potential use cases.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The head-to-head data is remarkably consistent. The Intel Core i7-940 wins all five shared benchmark comparisons, but the margins are surprisingly slim given the generational gap. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the i7-940 scores 264 against the PRO A10-8770E's 258, a 2.3% advantage. That pattern holds almost exactly across the other tests: a 2.5% lead in Cinebench R20 multi-core (1102 vs 1075), a 2.6% lead in R20 single-core (155 vs 151), a 2.6% lead in R23 multi-core (2626 vs 2560), and a 2.5% lead in R23 single-core (370 vs 361).

The consistency of these deltas is notable. The Intel chip’s advantage hovers between 2.3% and 2.6% in every test, suggesting a fundamental throughput edge rather than a workload-specific quirk. This is likely attributable to the i7-940's Hyper-Threading, which provides 8 threads versus the AMD's 4, allowing better utilization of the Cinebench render engine's parallel workload. The single-core results are nearly as close, with the Intel part leading by 2.6% in R20 single-core and 2.5% in R23 single-core. This indicates that despite the AMD's higher boost clock, the older Intel architecture's per-core efficiency remains competitive.

It is worth noting that the AMD PRO A10-8770E has two additional Geekbench results not shared by the Intel part: a multi-core score of 1291 and a single-core score of 572. Since the i7-940 has no corresponding Geekbench data in this comparison, these numbers cannot be directly analyzed head-to-head. However, they do provide a standalone reference point for the AMD chip's absolute performance in a different test suite.

In terms of overall average benchmark score, the Intel i7-940 edges ahead with 903 points against the AMD's 895, a difference of 0.9%. Both processors sit at the 24th percentile among all CPUs, placing them in the same broad performance tier. The nearest rivals for the Intel part include the Intel Core i5-5350U (score 903, 0% delta) and the AMD A10-7860K (score 904, -0.1% delta), while the AMD PRO A10-8770E's closest competitor is the Intel Core i5-5300U (score 895, 0% delta) and the Intel Pentium G4600T (score 895, 0% delta). The data clearly shows both CPUs occupying the same performance stratum, with the Intel part holding a slight but persistent edge.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core Cinebench tests?

A: The Intel Core i7-940 is faster in every shared multi-core test. It leads by 2.3% in Cinebench R15 (264 vs 258), by 2.5% in R20 (1102 vs 1075), and by 2.6% in R23 (2626 vs 2560).

Q: Does the AMD PRO A10-8770E have any benchmark wins over the Intel Core i7-940?

A: No. In the five head-to-head benchmarks available, the Intel part wins all five. The AMD chip has no wins in this comparison.

Q: How do their single-core performances compare?

A: The Intel Core i7-940 leads consistently. In Cinebench R20 single-core, it scores 155 versus 151 (a 2.6% advantage), and in R23 single-core, it scores 370 versus 361 (a 2.5% advantage).

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each processor?

A: The Intel Core i7-940 has an average benchmark score of 903, while the AMD PRO A10-8770E has an average score of 895. This puts the Intel part 0.9% ahead on average.

Q: Are these processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both are at the 24th percentile when compared against all CPUs. Their nearest rivals overlap closely, with the Intel part matching the Intel Core i5-5350U (score 903) and the AMD part matching the Intel Core i5-5300U (score 895).

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD PRO A10-8770E has a higher boost clock at 3.50 GHz, compared to the Intel Core i7-940's 3.20 GHz. Despite this, the Intel part still wins all shared benchmarks.

Architecture Differences

The two processors are built on fundamentally different architectures from different eras. The Intel Core i7-940 uses the Nehalem architecture, specifically the Bloomfield codename, fabricated on a 45 nm process node by Intel. It contains 731 million transistors on a die size of 263 mm². The AMD PRO A10-8770E, in contrast, uses the Excavator architecture with the Carrizo codename, built on a 28 nm process by GlobalFoundries, packing 3,100 million transistors into a 250 mm² die. The transistor count difference is stark: the AMD chip has over four times as many transistors, though on a considerably larger process node.

Core and thread configurations differ significantly. The Intel part offers 4 cores with 8 threads, leveraging Hyper-Threading, while the AMD part provides 4 cores and 4 threads without an equivalent technology. Cache hierarchies also diverge sharply. The Intel i7-940 has a per-core L1 cache of 64 KB and per-core L2 of 256 KB, complemented by a large 8 MB shared L3 cache. The AMD PRO A10-8770E has a total L1 cache of 320 KB and a total L2 cache of 2 MB, with no L3 cache present. This difference in cache architecture, particularly the lack of L3 on the AMD side, may explain some of the performance deltas despite the AMD chip's higher boost clock.

Memory support and platform features show the generational divide clearly. The Intel part supports DDR3 memory over a triple-channel memory bus, while the AMD part supports DDR4 over a dual-channel bus with a specified memory bandwidth of 38.4 GB/s. The PCIe generation differs as well: the Intel i7-940 is limited to Gen 2, while the AMD PRO A10-8770E supports Gen 3. The AMD chip also includes integrated Radeon R7 graphics, whereas the Intel part has no integrated graphics listed. Power consumption is dramatically different, with the Intel chip rated at 130W TDP compared to the AMD's 35W, a 95W difference that reflects the process node and architectural efficiency gains. The Intel part uses the Socket 1366 interface, while the AMD uses Socket AM4. Neither processor supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers.

The Verdict

The data paints a clear picture: the Intel Core i7-940 wins every benchmark it shares with the AMD PRO A10-8770E, albeit by a narrow margin of roughly 2.3% to 2.6%. For users prioritizing raw multi-threaded rendering performance in Cinebench, the Intel part is the superior choice. Its 8 threads versus 4 threads provide a tangible advantage in these workloads, and its single-core performance also holds up, despite the AMD's higher boost clock.

However, the verdict is not one-sided. The AMD PRO A10-8770E offers substantial platform advantages that the benchmarks do not capture. Its 35W TDP is a fraction of the Intel's 130W, making it dramatically more power-efficient. It supports DDR4 memory, PCIe Gen 3, and includes integrated Radeon R7 graphics, all of which are absent from the Intel part. The Intel i7-940 is end-of-life and limited to DDR3 and PCIe Gen 2, while the AMD chip remains in active production.

For a user building a new system with modern components, the AMD PRO A10-8770E is the more practical choice due to its platform features and efficiency. For a user who already owns a Socket 1366 motherboard with DDR3 memory, the Intel i7-940 offers a slight performance edge in the tested benchmarks. The data suggests that in pure compute terms, the Intel part is the winner, but the AMD chip's modern feature set and lower power draw make it a compelling alternative for new builds. The 0.9% difference in average benchmark score (903 vs 895) is within the noise of real-world usage, so the decision should hinge on platform needs rather than raw performance.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every specification category. The Intel Core i7-940 has a base clock of 2.93 GHz and a boost clock of 3.20 GHz, while the AMD PRO A10-8770E has a base clock of 2.80 GHz and a boost clock of 3.50 GHz. The Intel part has 8 threads versus the AMD's 4 threads. The TDP is 130W for Intel and 35W for AMD. The Intel uses Socket 1366, the AMD uses Socket AM4. The process node is 45 nm for Intel and 28 nm for AMD. Transistor count is 731 million for Intel and 3,100 million for AMD, with die sizes of 263 mm² and 250 mm² respectively.

Cache configurations are entirely different: Intel has 64 KB L1 per core and 256 KB L2 per core with 8 MB shared L3, while AMD has 320 KB total L1 and 2 MB total L2 with no L3. Memory support is DDR3 for Intel and DDR4 for AMD, with Intel using triple-channel and AMD using dual-channel. The AMD chip specifies 38.4 GB/s memory bandwidth; the Intel part has no such figure listed. PCIe generation is Gen 2 for Intel and Gen 3 for AMD. The AMD includes integrated Radeon R7 graphics, while the Intel has none. The Intel part is end-of-life with a release date in 2008, while the AMD is marked as active production with no release date provided. Neither supports ECC memory, and both have locked multipliers. The part numbers are SLBCK for Intel and AD877BAHM44AB for AMD.