Athlon 220GE vs Core i3-6320

CPU

GPU

Athlon 220GE

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2018

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Core i3-6320

2 Cores4 Thrd51 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2015

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Athlon 220GE vs Core i3-6320 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 220GE

2 / 4

4,441

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Core i3-6320

2 / 4

4,421

0.0%

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.

Athlon 220GE vs Core i3-6320 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.

Athlon 220GE vs Core i3-6320: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon 220GE

2018

Why buy it

✅Costs $95 less on MSRP ($65 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Delivers 147.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.3 vs 27.6 PassMark/$ ($65 MSRP vs $160 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 51W, a 16W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i3-6320 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower Geekbench multi-core (2,023 vs 2,730).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Core i3-6320.

Core i3-6320

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.5% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Athlon 220GE.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 27.6 vs 68.3 PassMark/$ ($160 MSRP vs $65 MSRP).
❌45.7% higher power demand at 51W vs 35W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-6320 better than Athlon 220GE?

Yes. Core i3-6320 is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 6.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 34.9% better Geekbench multi-core, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i3-6320 is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 6.5% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-6320 is the stronger fit. You are getting 34.9% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.

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

Core i3-6320 is still the better call for a fresh build. Core i3-6320 comes in 146.2% more expensive on MSRP at $160 MSRP versus $65 MSRP, and it still gives you a 6.5% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon 220GE 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 4,441 PassMark with 2 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?

Athlon 220GE makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2015). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon 220GE vs Core i3-6320 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon 220GE

The Athlon 220GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 June 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 4,441 points. Launch price was $65.

Core i3-6320

The Core i3-6320 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 51 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,421 points. Launch price was $157.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon 220GE and Core i3-6320 share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Athlon 220GE versus 3.9 GHz on the Core i3-6320 — a 13.7% clock advantage for the Core i3-6320 (base: 3.4 GHz vs 3.9 GHz). The Athlon 220GE uses the Zen (2017−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i3-6320 uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 220GE scores 4,441 against the Core i3-6320's 4,421 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon 220GE. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 886 vs 1,311, a 38.7% lead for the Core i3-6320 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 2,023 vs 2,730 (29.7% advantage for the Core i3-6320). Both processors carry 4 MB (total) of L3 cache.

Feature	Athlon 220GE	Core i3-6320
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz	3.9 GHz+15%
Base Clock	3.4 GHz	3.9 GHz+15%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Zen (2017−2020)	Skylake (2015−2016)
PassMark	4,441	4,421
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	2,853
Geekbench 6 Single	886	1,311+48%
Geekbench 6 Multi	2,023	2,730+35%

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon 220GE uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i3-6320 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2667 on the Athlon 220GE versus DDR4-2133 on the Core i3-6320 — the Athlon 220GE supports 25% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 64 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (Athlon 220GE) vs 16 (Core i3-6320) — the Core i3-6320 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B350,X370,B450,X470 (Athlon 220GE) and H110,H170,Z170,Q170,Q150,B150,B250,H270,Z270,Q270,Q250 (Core i3-6320).

Feature	Athlon 220GE	Core i3-6320
Socket	AM4	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2667+25%	DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	8	16+100%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon 220GE) vs Yes (Core i3-6320). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon 220GE) and Intel HD Graphics 530 (Core i3-6320) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon 220GE targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon 220GE rivals Pentium Gold G5400.

Feature	Athlon 220GE	Core i3-6320
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Radeon Vega 3	Intel HD Graphics 530
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	Yes
Target Use	Desktop	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 220GE was priced at $65, while the Core i3-6320 came in at $160. On launch pricing ($65 vs $160), Athlon 220GE was $95 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 220GE delivers 68.3 pts/$ vs 27.6 pts/$ for the Core i3-6320 — making the Athlon 220GE the 84.8% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 220GE	Core i3-6320
MSRP	$65-59%	$160
Performance per Dollar	68.3+147%	27.6
Release Date	2018	2015

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