CPU Comparison

The AMD PRO A8-8650B and Intel Core i7-860 are two end-of-life desktop processors from different eras, and their benchmark data shows a consistent, if narrow, margin of victory for the AMD part. The AMD PRO A8-8650B wins all five head-to-head benchmark comparisons, yet the overall average benchmark scores are nearly identical, with the AMD part at 887 and the Intel part at 886, a difference of just 0.1%. This creates an interesting dynamic where one processor is consistently ahead in individual tests, but their aggregate performance profiles are effectively indistinguishable for general workloads.

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The data shows a clear pattern: the AMD PRO A8-8650B wins every single benchmark comparison, but the margins are consistently small. In the Cinebench R15 multicore test, the AMD part scores 275 against the Intel Core i7-860's 259, a 6.2% advantage. This same 6.2% delta repeats in the Cinebench R20 multicore test, where AMD scores 1148 versus Intel's 1081. The Cinebench R23 multicore test follows suit with a 6.2% lead (2734 versus 2574), demonstrating that the AMD processor maintains its edge across multiple generations of the Cinebench rendering workload.

The single-core results tell a similar story with slightly larger margins. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the AMD PRO A8-8650B scores 162 against 152 for the Intel Core i7-860, a 6.6% lead. The Cinebench R23 single-core test shows a 6.3% advantage, with scores of 386 and 363 respectively. This consistency across both single-core and multi-core tests suggests the AMD processor's advantage is fundamental to its architecture rather than workload-specific.

Despite these consistent wins, the broader benchmark picture tempers the significance. The AMD PRO A8-8650B's Geekbench scores are 1060 multi-core and 441 single-core, while the Intel part has no Geekbench entries in the data. However, the average benchmark scores place them within 0.1% of each other, 887 for AMD versus 886 for Intel. The nearest rivals list confirms this proximity, showing the Intel Core i7-860 at 886 with a deltaPct of 0.1% relative to the AMD part, while the Intel Xeon X5550 and Intel Core i3-6100 both sit at 888. Both processors occupy the 24th percentile among all CPUs, indicating they are statistically equivalent in overall standing despite the AMD part's clean sweep of the head-to-head tests.

Architecture Differences

The architectural divide between these two processors is stark, reflecting their different design philosophies and manufacturing eras. The AMD PRO A8-8650B uses the Steamroller architecture on a 28 nm process node from GlobalFoundries, packing 2,411 million transistors into a 245 mm² die. The Intel Core i7-860 uses the older Nehalem architecture on a 45 nm process from Intel, with just 774 million transistors spread across a larger 296 mm² die. This means the AMD part crams more than three times as many transistors into a smaller physical area, a direct result of the more advanced manufacturing process.

The core configurations differ in threading capability. Both processors have 4 physical cores, but the Intel Core i7-860 supports 8 threads through Hyper-Threading, while the AMD PRO A8-8650B is limited to 4 threads. This gives the Intel part a theoretical multithreading advantage, yet the benchmark data shows the AMD part winning multi-core tests anyway, a testament to the efficiency of the Steamroller cores despite having half the thread count.

Cache hierarchies are structured differently as well. The AMD PRO A8-8650B has 256 KB of L1 cache and 4 MB of L2 cache, with no L3 cache at all. The Intel Core i7-860 has 64 KB of L1 cache per core, 256 KB of L2 cache per core, and a substantial 8 MB of shared L3 cache. The Intel part's larger total cache footprint, 8 MB of L3 alone, would normally suggest a memory-latency advantage, but the benchmark results do not reflect this. Clock speeds also favor the AMD part: it runs at a 3.20 GHz base clock with a 3.90 GHz boost, while the Intel chip runs at 2.80 GHz base with a 3.47 GHz boost. The power envelopes differ considerably, with the AMD part rated at 65 W TDP versus 95 W for the Intel part.

Platform features diverge sharply. The AMD PRO A8-8650B includes integrated Radeon R7 graphics and supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, while the Intel Core i7-860 has no integrated graphics and only PCIe Gen 2 support. The AMD part also specifies a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s, a figure absent from the Intel part's data. Both support dual-channel DDR3 memory and neither supports ECC. The AMD processor uses the AMD Socket FM2+ platform, while the Intel chip uses Intel Socket 1156. The release dates are six years apart, the Intel part launched in September 2009, the AMD part in September 2015, explaining the process node and transistor count disparities.

The Verdict

Based strictly on the benchmark data, the AMD PRO A8-8650B is the superior processor in every measured test. It wins all five head-to-head comparisons with margins ranging from 6.2% to 6.6%, and it does so while consuming less power (65 W versus 95 W TDP) and running at higher clock speeds (3.90 GHz boost versus 3.47 GHz boost). The Intel Core i7-860's only theoretical advantage is its 8-thread capability and 8 MB of L3 cache, but these do not translate into any benchmark wins in the data provided.

However, the practical difference is minimal. The average benchmark scores differ by only 1 point (887 versus 886), and both processors sit at the 24th percentile among all CPUs. The Intel Core i7-860's nearest rivals list includes the AMD part with a deltaPct of -0.1%, indicating the AMD part is 0.1% ahead of the Intel part on average. The AMD PRO A8-8650B's nearest rivals list shows the Intel Core i7-860 at 0.1% behind. These are rounding errors in real-world terms. Users upgrading from an Intel Core i7-860 to an AMD PRO A8-8650B would see a modest improvement in Cinebench rendering workloads, but the overall experience would be nearly identical.

The integrated Radeon R7 graphics in the AMD part is a significant differentiator for systems without a discrete GPU, as the Intel part has no integrated graphics at all. The PCIe Gen 3 support on the AMD side also offers newer connectivity compared to the Intel part's PCIe Gen 2. For a new build, the AMD PRO A8-8650B is the clear choice based on the data. For an existing Intel Socket 1156 system, the performance delta likely does not justify a platform change.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ in nearly every measurable specification. The AMD PRO A8-8650B has a base clock of 3.20 GHz and a boost clock of 3.90 GHz, while the Intel Core i7-860 operates at 2.80 GHz base and 3.47 GHz boost. The AMD part is rated at 65 W TDP, the Intel part at 95 W. The AMD uses AMD Socket FM2+, the Intel uses Intel Socket 1156. The AMD architecture is Steamroller on a 28 nm process; the Intel is Nehalem on 45 nm. The AMD die contains 2,411 million transistors on a 245 mm² die, while the Intel die has 774 million transistors on a 296 mm² die.

Cache configurations are not directly comparable: the AMD part has 256 KB L1 and 4 MB L2 with no L3, while the Intel part has 64 KB L1 per core, 256 KB L2 per core, and 8 MB shared L3. The AMD part supports PCIe Gen 3 with 16 lanes, the Intel part supports PCIe Gen 2 with 16 lanes. The AMD part includes integrated Radeon R7 graphics; the Intel part has none. The AMD part specifies 34.1 GB/s memory bandwidth; the Intel part has no listed memory bandwidth figure. The AMD supports 4 threads, the Intel supports 8 threads. The AMD part number is AD865BYBI44JC, the Intel is SLBJJ. Neither has a launch MSRP listed.

FAQ

Q: Which processor has a higher average benchmark score?

A: The AMD PRO A8-8650B has an average benchmark score of 887, which is 1 point higher than the Intel Core i7-860's 886, a difference of 0.1%.

Q: How many benchmarks does each processor win in the head-to-head comparison?

A: The AMD PRO A8-8650B wins all 5 head-to-head benchmarks, while the Intel Core i7-860 wins 0.

Q: What is the largest performance margin between the two processors in any single benchmark?

A: The largest margin is 6.6%, achieved by the AMD PRO A8-8650B in the Cinebench R20 single-core test, where it scores 162 against the Intel part's 152.

Q: Do both processors support the same memory type?

A: Yes, both support DDR3 memory with dual-channel memory buses. The AMD part specifies 34.1 GB/s memory bandwidth, while the Intel part has no bandwidth figure listed.

Q: Which processor has more threads?

A: The Intel Core i7-860 has 8 threads with 4 cores, while the AMD PRO A8-8650B has 4 threads with 4 cores.

Q: What is the transistor count difference between the two processors?

A: The AMD PRO A8-8650B contains 2,411 million transistors on a 28 nm process, while the Intel Core i7-860 contains 774 million transistors on a 45 nm process.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD PRO A8-8650B wins in every benchmark category where both have data: Cinebench R15 multicore, R20 multicore, R20 single-core, R23 multicore, and R23 single-core. Its consistent 6.2-6.6% leads across rendering workloads suggest it is the better choice for CPU-intensive rendering tasks in applications like Cinebench. The AMD part also wins on power efficiency, with a 65 W TDP versus 95 W for the Intel part, and it is the only one of the two with integrated graphics, making it suitable for basic display output without a discrete GPU. Its PCIe Gen 3 support provides newer connectivity options, and its higher clock speeds (3.90 GHz boost versus 3.47 GHz) contribute to its single-core performance advantage.

The Intel Core i7-860 finds its advantages in areas not measured by the benchmark suite. Its 8-thread capability doubles the thread count of the AMD part, which could benefit heavily parallel workloads that scale beyond 4 threads, although the benchmark data does not show this translating into wins. Its 8 MB of shared L3 cache is significantly larger than the AMD part's 4 MB L2-only configuration, potentially reducing memory latency in cache-sensitive applications. The Intel part also has a smaller transistor count and older process node, which historically correlates with lower production costs, though no pricing data is available to confirm this.

For users deciding between these two end-of-life processors, the AMD PRO A8-8650B is the data-backed winner for Cinebench-style rendering and general compute based on the benchmarks. The Intel Core i7-860 would only be preferable in scenarios where its extra threads and larger L3 cache are known to matter for specific software, but the benchmark evidence does not support that preference. The AMD part's integrated graphics and lower TDP make it the more versatile and efficient choice for a system without a dedicated GPU. Both processors sit at the 24th percentile overall, so neither is a high-performance part by modern standards, but the AMD PRO A8-8650B is measurably ahead in every test that was run.