Core i7-860 vs PRO A10-9700E

Core i7-860 vs PRO A10-9700E Performance Spectrum

Core i7-860

4 / 8

3,011

0.0%

3,057

+1.5%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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.

Core i7-860 vs PRO A10-9700E 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.

Core i7-860 vs PRO A10-9700E: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Core i7-860

2009

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (3,011 vs 3,057).
❌Launch MSRP is still $284 MSRP, while PRO A10-9700E mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌171.4% higher power demand at 95W vs 35W.

PRO A10-9700E

2016

Why buy it

✅+1.5% higher PassMark.
✅Draws 35W instead of 95W, a 60W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-860 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is PRO A10-9700E better than Core i7-860?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i7-860 is ahead with a 4.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, PRO A10-9700E pulls ahead with 1.5% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, PRO A10-9700E is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

PRO A10-9700E is still the much better call for a fresh build. PRO A10-9700E comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $284 MSRP, and it still gives you 1.5% better PassMark. Core i7-860 only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that usually means used-market pricing on an obsolete 2009 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (10.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA1156.

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

PRO A10-9700E makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2016 vs 2009) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 4/8. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Core i7-860 vs PRO A10-9700E Technical Specifications

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

Core i7-860

The Core i7-860 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 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 3.46 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: 3,011 points. Launch price was $229.

PRO A10-9700E

The PRO A10-9700E is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 3 October 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,057 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Core i7-860 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the PRO A10-9700E's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.46 GHz on the Core i7-860 versus 3.5 GHz on the PRO A10-9700E — a 1.1% clock advantage for the PRO A10-9700E (base: 2.8 GHz vs 3 GHz). The Core i7-860 uses the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the PRO A10-9700E uses Bristol Ridge (2016−2019) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-860 scores 3,011 against the PRO A10-9700E's 3,057 — a 1.5% lead for the PRO A10-9700E.

Feature	Core i7-860	PRO A10-9700E
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	4 / 4
Boost Clock	3.46 GHz	3.5 GHz+1%
Base Clock	2.8 GHz	3 GHz+7%
L3 Cache	8 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	2048 kB+700%
Process	45 nm	28 nm-38%
Architecture	Lynnfield (2009−2010)	Bristol Ridge (2016−2019)
PassMark	3,011	3,057+2%

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Memory & Platform

The Core i7-860 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the PRO A10-9700E uses AM4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.