AMD PRO A8-8650B vs Intel Core i7-940 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The AMD PRO A8-8650B is the dominant part in every Cinebench? No, the AMD PRO A8-8650B wins all five recorded head-to-head benchmarks. The Intel Core i7-940 fails to secure a single victory. The AMD part leads by 4% in the Cinebench R15 multicore test, scoring 275 against the Intel's 264. That same 4% margin appears in R20 multicore, where the AMD scores 1148 to the Intel's 1102.

The single-core tests tell the same story. In Cinebench R20 single-core, the AMD PRO A8-8650B posts 162 points, a 4.3% advantage over the Intel Core i7-940's 155 points. The gap narrows slightly in R23 single-core: the AMD scores 386 versus the Intel's 370, a 4.1% lead. The R23 multicore test shows the AMD ahead by exactly 4%, with 2734 points to the Intel's 2626.

The pattern is consistent. The AMD part wins every benchmark by a margin between 4% and 4.3%. There is no workload in the recorded data where the Intel Core i7-940 pulls ahead. The average benchmark score for the Intel is 903, while the AMD sits at 887, which means the Intel actually has a higher average score across all recorded tests, but the head-to-head results specifically favor the AMD in every case. The Intel's average is propped up by other benchmarks in its broader dataset, but when these two are compared directly, the AMD wins all five.

FAQ

Q: Which processor wins the most direct comparisons?

A: The AMD PRO A8-8650B wins all five head-to-head benchmarks against the Intel Core i7-940. The margins range from 4% to 4.3% in the AMD's favor.

Q: How close are the single-core scores?

A: In Cinebench R20 single-core, the AMD scores 162 points versus the Intel's 155, a 4.3% difference. In R23 single-core, the AMD scores 386 versus 370, a 4.1% difference.

Q: What is the biggest performance gap between the two?

A: The largest margin is 4.3%, seen in the Cinebench R20 single-core test. All other head-to-head tests show a 4% or 4.1% gap.

Q: Does the Intel Core i7-940 have any benchmark win?

A: No. The recorded data shows zero wins for the Intel part (winsA is 0), while the AMD part has five wins (winsB is 5).

Q: What is the average benchmark score for each?

A: The Intel Core i7-940 has an average benchmark score of 903, and the AMD PRO A8-8650B has an average score of 887.

Q: How do their overall percentiles compare?

A: Both processors are at the 24th percentile among all CPUs in the database, meaning they sit at the same overall performance tier despite the AMD winning the direct comparisons.

Architecture Differences

The Intel Core i7-940 is built on the Nehalem architecture with the Bloomfield codename, using a 45 nm process node from Intel's own foundry. It packs 731 million transistors on a 263 mm² die. The AMD PRO A8-8650B uses the Steamroller architecture with the Godaveri codename, fabricated on a 28 nm process by GlobalFoundries. The AMD die is smaller at 245 mm² but holds far more transistors: 2,411 million, over three times the Intel count.

The core configurations differ significantly. The Intel has 4 cores and 8 threads, meaning it supports Hyper-Threading. The AMD has 4 cores and 4 threads, so it lacks simultaneous multithreading. The Intel's cache layout is per-core: 64 KB of L1 and 256 KB of L2 per core, with a shared 8 MB L3 cache. The AMD uses a different structure: 256 KB of L1 total and 4 MB of L2 total, with no L3 cache at all. The lack of L3 on the AMD is a notable architectural trade-off.

Clock speeds favor the AMD. The AMD has a 3.20 GHz base clock and 3.90 GHz boost clock, while the Intel runs at 2.93 GHz base and 3.20 GHz boost. The AMD's boost advantage is substantial, nearly 700 MHz higher than the Intel's boost. Both parts have locked multipliers, so neither is designed for easy overclocking.

Memory support is another split. The Intel uses triple-channel DDR3, while the AMD uses dual-channel DDR3. The AMD lists a memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s; the Intel does not have a recorded bandwidth figure. PCIe support also differs: the Intel is Gen 2, while the AMD is Gen 3 with 16 lanes (CPU only). The AMD also integrates Radeon R7 graphics, whereas the Intel has no integrated graphics listed.

Specification Differences

The two processors differ on nearly every major specification. The Intel Core i7-940 has 8 threads versus the AMD's 4 threads. The AMD has a higher base clock (3.20 GHz vs 2.93 GHz) and a higher boost clock (3.90 GHz vs 3.20 GHz). The AMD has a much lower TDP at 65 watts, while the Intel draws 130 watts, exactly double the AMD's power envelope.

The sockets are incompatible: Intel uses Socket 1366, AMD uses Socket FM2+. The process nodes differ (45 nm for Intel, 28 nm for AMD), as do the transistor counts (731 million vs 2,411 million) and die sizes (263 mm² vs 245 mm²). The cache hierarchies are different, with the Intel having per-core L1 and L2 plus a shared L3, and the AMD having a single L1 and L2 with no L3.

Memory channels differ (triple vs dual), and the AMD has a recorded memory bandwidth of 34.1 GB/s while the Intel has none. PCIe generation differs (Gen 2 vs Gen 3), and the AMD has integrated Radeon R7 graphics while the Intel has none. The AMD also has a newer release date: September 2015 versus November 2008 for the Intel. Both parts are end-of-life and neither has a launch MSRP in the database.

The Verdict

The data is unambiguous. The AMD PRO A8-8650B wins every head-to-head benchmark against the Intel Core i7-940. If the choice is based purely on measured Cinebench performance, the AMD is the better processor. The AMD's 4% to 4.3% lead across all five tests is consistent and repeatable in the recorded data. The Intel never wins a single test.

However, the average benchmark scores tell a slightly different story. The Intel has a higher average score (903 vs 887), which places it in the same percentile (24th) as the AMD. This suggests that the Intel's performance profile is more competitive in a broader benchmark suite, even though it loses every direct head-to-head test. The Intel also has 8 threads versus 4, which could matter in other workloads not covered here.

The AMD's advantages are clear: higher clocks, lower power draw (65 watts vs 130 watts), integrated graphics, and a newer process node. The Intel's advantages are more threads, a larger L3 cache, and a higher average benchmark score. For users who prioritize the recorded Cinebench results, the AMD PRO A8-8650B is the pick. For users who value the higher average score and thread count, the Intel Core i7-940 has merit, but it loses every direct comparison in the database.

Where Each One Wins

AMD PRO A8-8650B:

The AMD wins all five head-to-head Cinebench tests. It is faster in multicore R15 (275 vs 264), multicore R20 (1148 vs 1102), single-core R20 (162 vs 155), multicore R23 (2734 vs 2626), and single-core R23 (386 vs 370). The AMD also offers integrated Radeon R7 graphics, meaning it can output video without a discrete GPU, which the Intel cannot due to having no integrated graphics. The AMD's 65-watt TDP is half the Intel's 130 watts, making it far more power-efficient. Its PCIe Gen 3 support and 34.1 GB/s memory bandwidth are also modern advantages.

Intel Core i7-940:

The Intel has no head-to-head wins, but it does have a higher average benchmark score of 903 versus the AMD's 887. It also has 8 threads versus 4, which means it can handle more concurrent threads in workloads that scale beyond four threads. The Intel has a shared 8 MB L3 cache, whereas the AMD has no L3 cache at all, which could benefit certain cache-sensitive workloads. The Intel also uses triple-channel memory, which may offer higher theoretical bandwidth in specific configurations, though the database does not list a bandwidth figure for the Intel. Its 24th percentile rank matches the AMD, indicating they occupy the same overall performance tier despite the AMD's head-to-head sweep.