CPU Comparison

The Intel Core i3-6100 and AMD PRO A8-8650B are two desktop processors from the same era that end up in a statistical dead heat in overall average benchmark score, with the Intel part at 888 and the AMD part at 887. Yet the data reveals a fascinating split: AMD wins five of the seven head-to-head tests, but Intel wins the two most decisive ones by massive margins. This creates a benchmark profile where the "average" tells you almost nothing, and the specific workload determines the winner.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD PRO A8-8650B dominates the Cinebench suite, which is heavily threaded and stresses sustained multi-core rendering. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD part scores 275 against Intel's 224, a delta of -18.5% from Intel's perspective. That pattern holds across every single Cinebench iteration: R20 multi-core shows AMD at 1148 versus 934 (-18.6%), R23 multi-core shows AMD at 2734 versus 2226 (-18.6%), and even the single-core Cinebench tests favor AMD, with R20 single-core at 162 versus 131 (-19.1%) and R23 single-core at 386 versus 314 (-18.7%). This is a complete sweep of the Cinebench category for AMD, suggesting its architecture handles the render workload particularly well.

The Intel Core i3-6100, however, wins the Geekbench tests, and it wins them decisively. In Geekbench multi-core, Intel scores 1605 against AMD's 1060, a 51.4% advantage. In Geekbench single-core, Intel scores 785 against AMD's 441, a staggering 78% lead. These are not marginal victories; they represent a fundamental difference in how the two processors handle the Geekbench workload, which tends to emphasize memory latency, branch prediction, and integer performance. The data suggests Intel's Skylake architecture has a significant efficiency advantage in lighter, more latency-sensitive tasks, while AMD's four physical cores give it the edge in sustained multi-threaded rendering.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from entirely different design philosophies and manufacturing eras. The Intel Core i3-6100 is built on a 14 nm process at Intel's foundry, packing 1,400 million transistors into a 150 mm² die. It uses the Skylake architecture, which is a modern, high-IPC design with 2 cores and 4 threads via Hyper-Threading, running at a base clock of 3.70 GHz with no boost clock. Its cache hierarchy is split per-core: 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and a 4 MB shared L3. It supports DDR4 memory on a dual-channel bus with 34.1 GB/s bandwidth, and it uses the Intel Socket 1151 interface. The integrated graphics are Intel HD 530, and the processor is still marked as Active in production.

The AMD PRO A8-8650B is a larger, older design on GlobalFoundries' 28 nm process, with 2,411 million transistors on a 245 mm² die. It uses the Steamroller architecture (codenamed Godaveri), which provides 4 physical cores and 4 threads, with no SMT. Its base clock is 3.20 GHz with a boost clock of 3.90 GHz. The cache layout is different: 256 KB L1 total, 4 MB L2 total, and no L3 cache at all. It supports DDR3 memory on a dual-channel bus, also rated at 34.1 GB/s bandwidth, and uses the AMD Socket FM2+ interface. Its integrated graphics are Radeon R7, and the part is listed as End-of-life.

The core count difference (4 physical vs 2 physical + 2 logical) is the most obvious architectural split, but the cache and memory differences are equally important. AMD's lack of L3 cache is compensated by a larger L2, while Intel's smaller L2 is backed by a shared L3. Both have identical memory bandwidth ratings (34.1 GB/s), but Intel's DDR4 support versus AMD's DDR3 support suggests a generational gap in memory latency characteristics. The process node difference (14 nm vs 28 nm) also explains the Intel part's lower TDP of 51 watts versus AMD's 65 watts, despite the AMD part having more physical cores.

The Verdict

For users whose workload is dominated by Cinebench-style rendering, long-running, multi-threaded, computationally dense, the AMD PRO A8-8650B is the clear choice. It wins every Cinebench test by roughly 18-19%, and its four physical cores provide a consistent advantage in this specific workload. The data shows no scenario in the Cinebench suite where Intel catches up, even in single-core Cinebench tests, which is surprising given Intel's architecture.

For users whose workload resembles Geekbench, shorter bursts, mixed integer and floating-point tasks, memory-latency sensitivity, the Intel Core i3-6100 is the overwhelming winner. A 51.4% lead in multi-core Geekbench and a 78% lead in single-core Geekbench are not incremental improvements; they represent a fundamentally better experience for that type of computing. The Intel part also benefits from being on the modern Socket 1151 platform with DDR4 support, which may matter for system longevity despite both parts having identical memory bandwidth ratings.

The average benchmark score is effectively a tie (888 vs 887), and both sit at the 24th percentile of all CPUs. The nearest rivals for the Intel part include the Intel Xeon X5550 at 888 (0% delta), the Intel Pentium G4560T at 887 (0.1%), and the AMD PRO A8-8650B itself at 887 (0.2%). For the AMD part, the nearest rivals are the Intel Pentium G4560T at 887 (0%), the Intel Xeon X5550 at 888 (-0.1%), and the Intel Core i7-860 at 886 (0.1%). This places both firmly in the same performance tier, but the tier's composition is deceptive because the benchmark distribution is so bimodal.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has more physical cores?

A: The AMD PRO A8-8650B has 4 physical cores and 4 threads, while the Intel Core i3-6100 has 2 physical cores and 4 threads (2 cores with Hyper-Threading).

Q: Does the Intel processor ever win a benchmark?

A: Yes, the Intel Core i3-6100 wins both Geekbench tests, scoring 1605 in multi-core versus AMD's 1060 (a 51.4% lead) and 785 in single-core versus AMD's 441 (a 78% lead).

Q: What is the memory bandwidth difference between the two?

A: There is no difference in rated memory bandwidth. Both are listed at 34.1 GB/s, though Intel uses DDR4 and AMD uses DDR3, both on dual-channel buses.

Q: Which processor has a higher boost clock?

A: The AMD PRO A8-8650B has a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, while the Intel Core i3-6100 has no boost clock and operates at a fixed base clock of 3.70 GHz.

Q: Are both processors in the same performance percentile?

A: Yes, both are at the 24th percentile of all CPUs, and their average benchmark scores are nearly identical (888 for Intel, 887 for AMD).

Q: Which processor has a smaller manufacturing process?

A: The Intel Core i3-6100 is built on a 14 nm process, while the AMD PRO A8-8650B uses a 28 nm process.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The most striking result in the entire dataset is the Geekbench single-core test, where the Intel Core i3-6100 scores 785 against the AMD PRO A8-8650B's 441. That 78% delta is the largest margin in any test, and it highlights the enormous IPC advantage of Skylake over Steamroller in this workload. The multi-core Geekbench result is similarly lopsided at 1605 versus 1060, a 51.4% lead, showing that Intel's two cores with Hyper-Threading can outperform AMD's four physical cores when the workload is not purely throughput-limited.

However, the Cinebench results tell the opposite story. In Cinebench R15 multi-core, the AMD part scores 275 versus Intel's 224, an 18.5% delta. The R20 multi-core test shows 1148 versus 934 (-18.6%), and the R23 multi-core test shows 2734 versus 2226 (-18.6%). The consistency of these deltas, all hovering between 18.5% and 18.7%, suggests a stable architectural advantage for AMD in this rendering workload. Even in the single-core Cinebench tests, AMD wins by similar margins: R20 single-core at 162 versus 131 (-19.1%) and R23 single-core at 386 versus 314 (-18.7%). This is unusual, as single-core performance typically favors Intel, but the data is unambiguous: AMD wins all five Cinebench tests.

The overall win count is 5 for AMD and 2 for Intel, but the magnitude of Intel's wins is far greater. AMD's average Cinebench lead is about 18.6%, while Intel's Geekbench leads are 51.4% and 78%. This means a user's choice depends entirely on which benchmark better represents their actual workload. The average benchmark score masks this completely, showing a 0.2% delta between the two parts (888 vs 887) and placing them as near-perfect rivals, with the Intel Core i3-6100 listing the AMD PRO A8-8650B as a rival at 0.2% delta and the AMD part listing Intel at -0.2% delta. The data does not support a universal winner; it supports two very different processors that happen to average out to the same number.