Core i7-880 vs Athlon X4 870K
Core i7-880
Athlon X4 870K
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 i7-880 is positioned at rank 1064 and the Athlon X4 870K is on rank 515, so the Athlon X4 870K offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i7-880
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X4 870K
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i7-880 | Athlon X4 870K |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($40) | ✅ More affordable ($35) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Lynnfield (2009−2010) / 45 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Godaveri (2014−2016) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i7-880 | Athlon X4 870K |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ✅ Better overall value (+15%) |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($40) | ✅ More affordable ($35) |
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 i7-880 and Athlon X4 870K
Core i7-880
The Core i7-880 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 30 May 2010 (15 years ago). It is based on the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.06 GHz, with boost up to 3.73 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: 3,429 points. Launch price was $583.
Athlon X4 870K
The Athlon X4 870K 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 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 3,443 points. Launch price was $149.
Processing Power
The Core i7-880 packs 4 cores / 8 threads, matching the Athlon X4 870K's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.73 GHz on the Core i7-880 versus 4.1 GHz on the Athlon X4 870K — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 870K (base: 3.06 GHz vs 3.9 GHz). The Core i7-880 uses the Lynnfield (2009−2010) architecture (45 nm), while the Athlon X4 870K uses Godaveri (2014−2016) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-880 scores 3,429 against the Athlon X4 870K's 3,443 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon X4 870K.
| Feature | Core i7-880 | Athlon X4 870K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 4 / 8 | 4 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.73 GHz | 4.1 GHz+10% |
| Base Clock | 3.06 GHz | 3.9 GHz+27% |
| 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 | 3,429 | 3,443 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 507 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,478 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i7-880 uses the LGA1156 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Athlon X4 870K uses FM2+ (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1333 memory speed. The Athlon X4 870K supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 16 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: P55,H55,H57,Q57 (Core i7-880) and AMD FM2+ (Athlon X4 870K).
| Feature | Core i7-880 | Athlon X4 870K |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | LGA1156 | FM2+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 3.0+50% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1333 | DDR3-2133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 GB | 64 GB+300% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 16 | 16 |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: Yes (Core i7-880) / not specified (Athlon X4 870K).
| Feature | Core i7-880 | Athlon X4 870K |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | Yes | — |
Value Analysis
The Core i7-880 launched at $583 MSRP, while the Athlon X4 870K debuted at $90. At current prices ($40 vs $35), the Athlon X4 870K is $5 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-880 delivers 85.7 pts/$ vs 98.4 pts/$ for the Athlon X4 870K — making the Athlon X4 870K the 13.7% better value option.
| Feature | Core i7-880 | Athlon X4 870K |
|---|---|---|
| MSRP | $583 | $90-85% |
| Avg Price (30d) | $40 | $35-13% |
| Performance per Dollar | 85.7 | 98.4+15% |
| Release Date | 2010 | 2015 |
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