Benchmarking 86 CPUs takes a while. After long last, though, we have 51 models from AMD and 35 from Intel tested in our current suite. If you want to know how your processor sizes up to its competition, you'll find plenty of comparison data inside!
86 CPUs Benchmarked: 51 From AMD And 35 From Intel
We've been hard at work updating our CPU Charts with a brand new benchmark suite. And, before 2012 comes to a close, we wanted to share the results of no fewer than 86 processors with you. The models we tested range from dual-core budget-oriented chips to eight-core flagships. Fifty-one models come from AMD, and 35 are Intel's.
In this overview, the CPUs are organized by micro-architecture, each covered on its own page. It’s a free-for-all once we hit the benchmarks. At that point, performance is all that matters. Let’s have a look at the contenders:
AMD
| AMD CPUs | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Family | FX Processors | A-Series APUs | Phenom II | Athlon II |
| Architecture and Model Number | Bulldozer FX-4100 FX-4170 FX-6100 FX-6200 FX-8100 FX-8120 FX-8140 FX-8150 FX-8170 | Llano A6-3650 A6-3670K A8-3850 A8-3870K Trinity A10-5800K | Stars Phenom II X2 550 Phenom II X2 555 Phenom II X2 560 Phenom II X2 565 Phenom II X3 705e Phenom II X3 710 Phenom II X3 720 Phenom II X3 740 Phenom II X4 830 Phenom II X4 840 Phenom II X4 905e Phenom II X4 910e Phenom II X4 955 Phenom II X4 965 Phenom II X4 970 Phenom II X4 975 Phenom II X4 980 Phenom II X6 1035T Phenom II X6 1045T Phenom II X6 1055T Phenom II X6 1065T Phenom II X6 1075T Phenom II X6 1090T Phenom II X6 1100T | Stars Athlon II X2 240e Athlon II X2 250 Athlon II X2 255 Athlon II X2 260 Athlon II X3 425 Athlon II X3 435 Athlon II X3 440 Athlon II X3 445 Athlon II X4 620 Athlon II X4 630 Athlon II X4 635 Athlon II X4 640 Athlon II X4 645 |
Intel
| Intel CPUs | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Family | Core (First Generation) | Core (Second Generation) | Core (Third Generation) |
| Architecture and Model Number | Nehalem Core i3-530 Core i5-661 Core i5-670 Core i5-750 Core i5-750S Core i5-760 Core i7-860 Core i7-870 Core i7-875K Core i7-880 Core i7-920 Core i7-930 Core i7-960 Core i7-970 Core i7-975 Extreme Edition Core i7-980 Core i7-980X Core i7-990X | Sandy Bridge Core i5-2300 Core i5-2310 Core i5-2400 Core i5-2400S Core i5-2500K Core i5-2500T Core i7-2600K Core i7-2700K Core i7-3930X Core i7-3960X Pentium G620 Pentium G630 Pentium G630T | Ivy Bridge Core i5-3450 Core i5-3470 Core i5-3550 Core i5-3570K Core i7-3770K |
- Tom's Hardware: CPU Benchmark Charts, Updated
- AMD: Bulldozer
- AMD: A-Series APUs (Trinity/Llano)
- AMD: K10 (Stars)
- Intel: Nehalem
- Intel: Sandy Bridge
- Intel: Ivy Bridge
- CPU Charts: AMD Processor Overview
- CPU Charts: Intel Processor Overview
- Benchmark Hardware And Software
- PCMark 7
- SiSoftware Sandra 2012
- Adobe Creative Suite 6
- Professional Applications
- Audio/Video And File Compression
- 3DMark 11 And Games
- Power Consumption
- No Surprise: Intel Takes The Performance Crown, AMD Represents Value

But i want some processors which were legendary overclockers, and representatives of their generation of CPU's, included with a nominal OC :
intel C2D E7300 : 2.66- > 3.33
Intel C2Q Q6600 : 2.4- > 3.0ghz
Intel i5-750 : 2.66 - >3.33
Its highly likely that a person has owned at least one of these CPU's. I want to know how well these compare to modern processors.
But i want some processors which were legendary overclockers, and representatives of their generation of CPU's, included with a nominal OC :
intel C2D E7300 : 2.66- > 3.33
Intel C2Q Q6600 : 2.4- > 3.0ghz
Intel i5-750 : 2.66 - >3.33
Its highly likely that a person has owned at least one of these CPU's. I want to know how well these compare to modern processors.
I always wish this. Beyond that the AM3 Athlon X2's are still being sold at newegg and the Phenom X2's are not...
Agreed, maybe just one dual core and one quad? q9550 and e6850? not that I still own both of those or anything...
But let's do some math. Just for a rough order of magnitude I figure an average of 15% increase in performance per clock cycle, per generation (not including clock speed, number of cores, etc.). So if we start back at Conroe and work our way to present day Ivy Bridge, that's 5 new generations of processors. 1.15^5 = 2.01
Which means that an Ivy Bridge CPU at the same speed as a Conroe CPU (2006ish) is about 2x as fast per clock cycle, on average. Once you take into account faster clock speeds, number of cores, cache sizes, integrated memory controllers, etc. and more importantly what software will be used with the CPUs the real world performance difference could be almost nothing to somewhere around 10-15x as fast.
I digress. The point being, is I would like to see some more benchies Tom's! Prove me wrong!
Yes! Core 2 Duo E6750 CPU owner here.
i'll skip ivy and Haswell as well with this Sensational Cpu at 4.6Ghz
There should be i3 3220 too. Really wanted to know about that.
Throw in a Pentium 4 as a reminder to those folks who still think they can run BF3 on a 1.8 GHz Willamette.
And as for fun, there should've been a CPU rendering test. Windows 7 has a function that allows a CPU do to DX10 graphics, completely bypassing the GPU. The only obviously issue that CPUs are terrible compared to GPUs when it comes to graphics.
http://www.istartedsomething.com/20081126/direct3d-warp10-to-enable-you-to-play-dx10-crysis-using-software-renderer-only-albeit-slowly/
There is no need to bench 2600K/2700K & Core i5-2300/Core i5-2310, just one of the 2 set will do, because we all know their performance is close to identical.
Sorry, didn't get to read that