Core i7-870S vs Athlon X4 850
Core i7-870S
Athlon X4 850
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 i7-870S is positioned at rank 1008 and the Athlon X4 850 is on rank 539, so the Athlon X4 850 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-870S
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X4 850
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-870S | Athlon X4 850 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($80) | ✅ More affordable ($20) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Lynnfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Godaveri (2014−2016) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-870S | Athlon X4 850 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+299%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($80) | ✅ More affordable ($20) |
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 i7-870S and Athlon X4 850
Core i7-870S
The Core i7-870S is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 19 July 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.66 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): 82 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,765 points. Launch price was $69.
Athlon X4 850
The Athlon X4 850 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Godaveri (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 2,756 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i7-870S packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Athlon X4 850's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-870S versus 3.9 GHz on the Athlon X4 850 — a 8% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 850 (base: 2.66 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Core i7-870S uses the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon X4 850 uses Godaveri (2014−2016) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-870S scores 2,765 against the Athlon X4 850's 2,756 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i7-870S.
| Feature | Core i7-870S | Athlon X4 850 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz | 3.9 GHz+8% |
| Base Clock | 2.66 GHz | 3.2 GHz+20% |
| L3 Cache | 8 MB (total) | — |
| L2 Cache | 256 kB (per core) | 4 MB+1500% |
| Process | 45 nm | 28 nm-38% |
| Architecture | Lynnfield (2009−2010) | Godaveri (2014−2016) |
| PassMark | 2,765 | 2,756 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-870S uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon X4 850 uses FM2+ (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i7-870S | Athlon X4 850 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1156 | FM2+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | — | DDR3-2133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | — | 64 GB |
| RAM Channels | — | 2 |
| ECC Support | — | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | — | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: not specified (Core i7-870S) / AMD-V (Athlon X4 850). Primary use case: Athlon X4 850 targets Desktop.
| Feature | Core i7-870S | Athlon X4 850 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | — | No |
| Unlocked | — | Yes |
| AVX-512 | — | No |
| Virtualization | — | AMD-V |
| Target Use | — | Desktop |
Value Analysis
The Core i7-870S launched at $300 MSRP, while the Athlon X4 850 debuted at $77. At current prices ($80 vs $20), the Athlon X4 850 is $60 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-870S delivers 34.6 pts/$ vs 137.8 pts/$ for the Athlon X4 850 — making the Athlon X4 850 the 119.8% better value option.
| Feature | Core i7-870S | Athlon X4 850 |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $300 | $77-74% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $80 | $20-75% |
| Performance per Dollar | 34.6 | 137.8+298% |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2015 |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
You May Also Compare
Similar CPU comparisons based on Core i7-870S and Athlon X4 850
