A10-9700 vs Core i7-8500Y

A10-9700 vs Core i7-8500Y Performance Spectrum

A10-9700

4 / 4

3,555

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i7-8500Y

2 / 4

3,590

+1.0%

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

A10-9700 vs Core i7-8500Y FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

A10-9700 vs Core i7-8500Y: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

A10-9700

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon R7, while Core i7-8500Y needs a discrete GPU.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i7-8500Y.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (3,555 vs 3,590).
❌Launch MSRP is still $169 MSRP, while Core i7-8500Y mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌1200% higher power demand at 65W vs 5W.

Core i7-8500Y

2018

Why buy it

✅+1% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 5W instead of 65W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than A10-9700 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌No integrated graphics, while A10-9700 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike A10-9700.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-8500Y better than A10-9700?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, A10-9700 is ahead with a 4.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-8500Y pulls ahead with 1% better PassMark.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-8500Y is the stronger fit. You are getting 1% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Core i7-8500Y is still the better call for a fresh build. Core i7-8500Y comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $169 MSRP, and it still gives you 1% better PassMark. A10-9700 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is so cheap, but its absolute performance tier is too low to be the better recommendation now. At roughly 3,555 PassMark with 4 cores and 4 threads, it only really makes sense as a bare-minimum stopgap or a very constrained existing-platform upgrade.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i7-8500Y makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2017) and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

A10-9700 vs Core i7-8500Y Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

A10-9700

The A10-9700 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 27 July 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,555 points. Launch price was $90.

Core i7-8500Y

The Core i7-8500Y is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 28 August 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Amber Lake-Y (2018−2021) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 1.5 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1515. Thermal design power (TDP): 5 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,590 points. Launch price was $393.

⚡

Processing Power

The A10-9700 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i7-8500Y offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the A10-9700 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the A10-9700 versus 4.2 GHz on the Core i7-8500Y — a 10% clock advantage for the Core i7-8500Y (base: 3.5 GHz vs 1.5 GHz). The A10-9700 uses the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture (28 nm), while the Core i7-8500Y uses Amber Lake-Y (2018−2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the A10-9700 scores 3,555 against the Core i7-8500Y's 3,590 — a 1% lead for the Core i7-8500Y. L3 cache: 0 kB on the A10-9700 vs 4 MB on the Core i7-8500Y.

Feature	A10-9700	Core i7-8500Y
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz	4.2 GHz+11%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+133%	1.5 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	4 MB
L2 Cache	2048 kB+300%	512 kB
Process	28 nm	14 nm-50%
Architecture	Bristol Ridge (2016−2019)	Amber Lake-Y (2018−2021)
PassMark	3,555	3,590
Geekbench 6 Single	642	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The A10-9700 uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-8500Y uses FCBGA1515 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	A10-9700	Core i7-8500Y
Socket	AM4	FCBGA1515
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	8	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (A10-9700) / not specified (Core i7-8500Y). The A10-9700 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R7), while the Core i7-8500Y requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: A10-9700 targets Budget. Direct competitor: A10-9700 rivals Pentium G4560.