Core i7-870 vs FirePro A320
Core i7-870
FirePro A320
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Core i7-870 is positioned at rank 987 and the FirePro A320 is on rank 478, so the FirePro A320 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-870
Performance Per Dollar FirePro A320
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-870 | FirePro A320 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($80) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Lynnfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Trinity (2012−2013) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-870 | FirePro A320 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($80) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-870 and FirePro A320
Core i7-870
The Core i7-870 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 8 September 2009 (16 years ago). It is based on the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.93 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 45 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1156. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,164 points. Launch price was $305.
FirePro A320
The FirePro A320 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 100 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 2,153 points. Launch price was $800.
Processing Power
The Core i7-870 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the FirePro A320's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-870 versus 4.2 GHz on the FirePro A320 — a 15.4% clock advantage for the FirePro A320 (base: 2.93 GHz vs 3.8 GHz). The Core i7-870 uses the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the FirePro A320 uses Trinity (2012−2013) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-870 scores 3,164 against the FirePro A320's 2,153 — a 38% lead for the Core i7-870.
| Feature | Core i7-870 | FirePro A320 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz | 4.2 GHz+17% |
| Base Clock | 2.93 GHz | 3.8 GHz+30% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 4 MB (total)+1500% |
| Process | 45 nm | 32 nm-29% |
| Architecture | Lynnfield (2009−2010) | Trinity (2012−2013) |
| PassMark | 3,164+47% | 2,153 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 476 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,541 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-870 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the FirePro A320 uses FM2 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-870 | FirePro A320 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1156 | FM2 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-870) / not specified (FirePro A320). Primary use case: Core i7-870 targets Legacy Desktop.
| Feature | Core i7-870 | FirePro A320 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| IGPU Model | None | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Legacy Desktop | — |
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