AMD A4-3400 vs Intel Core i7-3970X. Specifications, performance, tests

Comprehensive background on the processors being compared, detailing their series, generation, and targeted market segment.

• Segment
  Desktop / Server Desktop / Server
• Family
  AMD A Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition
• Generation
  1 3
• CPU group
  AMD A4-3000 Intel Core i 3000X

Essential parameters including the number of cores, threads, base and turbo frequencies, and cache size. These metrics provide insight into the processor’s speed—higher values generally indicate better performance.

• Frequency
  2.70 GHz 3.50 GHz
• CPU Cores
  2 6
• Turbo (1 Core)
  No turbo 4.00 GHz
• CPU Threads
  2 12
• Hyperthreading
  No Yes
• Overclocking
  Yes Yes
• Core architecture
  normal normal

The integrated graphics (iGPU) do not influence the CPU performance significantly; they serve as a substitute for a dedicated graphics card in the absence of one or are utilized in mobile devices.

• GPU name
  AMD Radeon HD 6410D no iGPU
• GPU frequency
  0.60 GHz
• GPU (Turbo)
  No turbo No turbo
• Execution units
  2
• Shader
  160
• Max. GPU Memory
  1 GB --
• Max. displays
  2
• Generation
  3
• DirectX Version
  11
• Technology
  32 nm
• Release date
  Q4/2010

This section details the built-in codecs used for encoding and decoding media content, which significantly enhance processing speed and efficiency.

• h265 / HEVC (8 bit)
  No No
• h265 / HEVC (10 bit)
  No No
• h264
  Decode No
• VP9
  No No
• VP8
  No No
• AV1
  No No
• AVC
  Decode No
• VC-1
  Decode No
• JPEG
  Decode / Encode No

Overview of the types and quantities of RAM supported by Intel Core i7-3970X and AMD A4-3400. The supported memory frequencies may vary depending on the motherboard configuration.

• Memory type
  DDR3-1600 DDR3-1600
• ECC
  No No
• Memory channels
  2 4

• AES-NI
  No Yes

Analyze the TDP (Thermal Design Power) requirements of AMD A4-3400 and Intel Core i7-3970X to make an informed decision on the appropriate cooling system. Remember that TDP refers to thermal watts, not electrical watts.

• TDP (PL1)
  65 W 150 W

Information on architecture, interfaces, and additional instructions supported by AMD A4-3400 and Intel Core i7-3970X, including virtual machine technologies and fabrication processes.

• Instruction set (ISA)
  x86-64 (64 bit) x86-64 (64 bit)
• Virtualization
  AMD-V VT-x, VT-x EPT, VT-d (C2 Stepping)
• ISA extensions
  SSE3, SSE4a SSE4.1, SSE4.2, AVX
• L3-Cache
  1.00 MB 15.00 MB
• Architecture
  Llano (K10) Sandy Bridge E
• Technology
  32 nm 32 nm
• Socket
  FM1 LGA 2011
• Release date
  Q3/2011 Q4/2012