AMD PRO A10-8850B vs Intel Core i7-2710QE Comparison

The AMD PRO A10-8850B and Intel Core i7-2710QE are effectively tied in aggregate performance, with the AMD part holding a razor-thin 0.1% advantage in average benchmark score (1098 vs 1096). Across every head-to-head Cinebench test, the AMD chip wins by margins of 0.0% to 0.5%, making this a statistical dead heat rather than a competitive blowout. The decisive differentiators are architectural: a 28nm Steamroller desktop part with four threads and a 95W TDP versus a 32nm Sandy Bridge mobile part with eight threads and a 45W TDP.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has the higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD PRO A10-8850B scores 1098, while the Intel Core i7-2710QE scores 1096. That is a 0.1% difference, placing the AMD part slightly ahead in aggregate.

Q: How do the two CPUs compare in Cinebench R23 multi-core?

A: The AMD PRO A10-8850B scores 3189, and the Intel Core i7-2710QE scores 3186. The AMD chip leads by 0.1%, a margin of just three points.

Q: Does the Intel part have more threads than the AMD part?

A: Yes. The Intel Core i7-2710QE has 8 threads (4 cores with Hyper-Threading), while the AMD PRO A10-8850B has 4 threads (4 cores without SMT).

Q: What is the TDP difference between these two processors?

A: The AMD PRO A10-8850B has a 95W TDP, while the Intel Core i7-2710QE has a 45W TDP. The Intel part consumes less than half the power envelope of the AMD part.

Q: Which processor is newer?

A: The AMD PRO A10-8850B has a release date of 2015-09-28, while the Intel Core i7-2710QE has a release date of 2011-01-02. The AMD part is over four years newer.

Q: What are the integrated graphics solutions?

A: The AMD PRO A10-8850B includes Radeon R7 graphics, while the Intel Core i7-2710QE includes Intel HD 3000 graphics.

Architecture Differences

The two CPUs come from fundamentally different design philosophies. The AMD PRO A10-8850B uses the Steamroller architecture on a 28nm process, fabricated by GlobalFoundries. It integrates 2,411 million transistors on a 245 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-2710QE uses the Sandy Bridge architecture on a 32nm process, fabricated by Intel, with 1,160 million transistors on a 216 mm² die. The AMD part packs more than twice the transistor count, though on a larger physical die.

Core and thread configurations diverge sharply. The AMD chip offers 4 cores and 4 threads, meaning no simultaneous multithreading. The Intel chip also has 4 cores but doubles the thread count to 8 via Hyper-Threading. This gives the Intel part a theoretical throughput advantage in heavily threaded workloads, though the benchmark data shows that advantage does not materialize in Cinebench scores.

Cache hierarchies differ as well. The AMD PRO A10-8850B has 256 KB of L1 cache and 4 MB of L2 cache, with no L3 cache present. The Intel Core i7-2710QE has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and 6 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part's L3 cache provides a shared pool for all cores, while the AMD part relies entirely on its larger L2 allocation.

Memory support also separates the two. The AMD chip supports DDR3 memory with dual-channel operation and a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s. The Intel chip also uses dual-channel memory, but its memory bandwidth figure is not listed in the data. Neither processor supports ECC memory. The AMD part has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only), while the Intel part has no PCIe specification listed.

Socket compatibility is entirely different: the AMD PRO A10-8850B uses AMD Socket FM2+, while the Intel Core i7-2710QE uses Intel Socket G2 (988B). This means they are not interchangeable in any system. The AMD part is a desktop processor, while the Intel part is a mobile processor. Both are end-of-life products.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark results are remarkably close across the board. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, both CPUs score exactly 321 points, resulting in a 0% delta. The AMD PRO A10-8850B is listed as the winner based on the tie-breaking rule, but this is effectively a dead heat.

Moving to Cinebench R20 multi-core, the AMD part scores 1339 versus 1338 for the Intel part, a 0.1% advantage. The single-core R20 test shows the AMD chip at 189 versus 188 for Intel, a 0.5% lead. This is the largest margin in any test and represents a meaningful, though still small, single-thread advantage for the AMD architecture.

Cinebench R23 multi-core results show the AMD PRO A10-8850B at 3189 and the Intel Core i7-2710QE at 3186, again a 0.1% delta. The R23 single-core test has the AMD part at 450 versus 449 for Intel, a 0.2% edge. Across all five head-to-head tests, the AMD processor wins every single one, but the maximum winning margin is 0.5%.

The data tells a clear story: the Intel part's 8-thread advantage does not translate into a performance lead in Cinebench. The AMD part's higher clock speeds — 3.90 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost versus 2.10 GHz base and 3.00 GHz boost — compensate for the lack of SMT. The AMD chip wins all five tests, but the wins are so narrow that they fall within typical run-to-run variance.

Specification Differences

The core specifications that differ between these two processors are substantial. Clock speeds are the most obvious divergence: the AMD PRO A10-8850B runs at 3.90 GHz base and 4.10 GHz boost, while the Intel Core i7-2710QE runs at 2.10 GHz base and 3.00 GHz boost. The AMD part has a 1.80 GHz higher base clock and a 1.10 GHz higher boost clock.

Thread count differs: 4 threads for AMD versus 8 threads for Intel. The process node differs: 28 nm for AMD versus 32 nm for Intel. Transistor count is 2,411 million for AMD versus 1,160 million for Intel. Die size is 245 mm² for AMD versus 216 mm² for Intel. TDP is 95W for AMD versus 45W for Intel.

Cache configuration differs significantly. The AMD part has 256 KB L1 and 4 MB L2, with no L3. The Intel part has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 6 MB shared L3. Memory bandwidth is 34.1 GB/s for AMD, with no figure listed for Intel. The AMD part has PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes; the Intel part has no PCIe data.

Integrated graphics differ: Radeon R7 for AMD versus Intel HD 3000 for Intel. Socket types are different: AMD Socket FM2+ versus Intel Socket G2 (988B). Market segment differs: Desktop for AMD versus Mobile for Intel. Release dates are 2015-09-28 for AMD versus 2011-01-02 for Intel. Both have locked multipliers.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD PRO A10-8850B wins in every benchmark test recorded. It leads in Cinebench R15 multi-core (321 vs 321, 0%), R20 multi-core (1339 vs 1338, 0.1%), R20 single-core (189 vs 188, 0.5%), R23 multi-core (3189 vs 3186, 0.1%), and R23 single-core (450 vs 449, 0.2%). If the benchmark data is the sole criterion, the AMD processor is the better performer in both multi-threaded and single-threaded workloads.

The AMD part also offers a higher clock speed range, which explains its single-core wins. Its Radeon R7 integrated graphics are likely more capable than Intel HD 3000, though no direct graphics benchmarks are provided. The AMD chip has a higher memory bandwidth specification at 34.1 GB/s. It also supports PCIe Gen 3, which the Intel part does not list.

The Intel Core i7-2710QE wins on power efficiency. Its 45W TDP is less than half of the AMD part's 95W TDP. This makes the Intel chip suitable for mobile or compact systems where thermal and power constraints are critical. The Intel part also has 8 threads versus 4, which could benefit workloads that scale with thread count, even though Cinebench does not show this advantage. The Intel part's 6 MB of shared L3 cache provides a faster pool for frequently accessed data across cores.

The Verdict

The benchmark data is unambiguous: the AMD PRO A10-8850B wins all five head-to-head tests, but the margins are trivial. A 0.1% to 0.5% advantage across Cinebench R15, R20, and R23 does not constitute a meaningful performance gap. Both processors sit at the 31st percentile of all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores (1098 vs 1096) are separated by just two points.

For a desktop user who already has an AMD Socket FM2+ motherboard and values the higher clock speeds, the PRO A10-8850B is the marginally faster option. Its 4.10 GHz boost clock and Radeon R7 graphics make it a reasonable choice for single-threaded tasks and light integrated graphics use. The 95W TDP is acceptable for a desktop platform.

For a mobile or embedded user, the Intel Core i7-2710QE is the more sensible pick. Its 45W TDP enables systems with lower thermal requirements and longer battery life. The 8-thread configuration provides headroom for parallel workloads that may appear outside the Cinebench suite. The 6 MB L3 cache also helps in data-heavy applications.

The deciding factor is not performance, which is essentially identical, but platform and power constraints. If the system must run cool and efficiently, choose the Intel part. If the system is a desktop with an FM2+ socket and the user wants the slight edge in every benchmark, choose the AMD part. Neither processor offers a compelling reason to upgrade from the other, as their performance profiles are nearly indistinguishable.