Athlon 300U vs Core i5-7360U

AMD

Athlon 300U

2 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2019
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Core i5-7360U

2 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2017
Similar parts
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Athlon 300U vs Core i5-7360U Performance Spectrum

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 300U vs Core i5-7360U 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 300U vs Core i5-7360U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon 300U

2019

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +5.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Trade-offs

  • Lower Geekbench multi-core (1,800 vs 2,096).

Core i5-7360U

2017

Why buy it

  • +16.4% higher Geekbench multi-core.

Trade-offs

  • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon 300U across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 300U better than Core i5-7360U?
It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon 300U is ahead with a 5.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-7360U pulls ahead with 16.4% better Geekbench multi-core.
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i5-7360U is the stronger fit. You are getting 16.4% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Athlon 300U still makes the most sense overall. Athlon 300U comes in at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Athlon 300U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2017). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon 300U vs Core i5-7360U Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon 300U

The Athlon 300U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Raven Ridge 2 (2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 3,861 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Core i5-7360U

The Core i5-7360U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,823 points. Launch price was $304.

Processing Power

Both the Athlon 300U and Core i5-7360U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Athlon 300U versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i5-7360U — a 8.7% clock advantage for the Core i5-7360U (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.3 GHz). The Athlon 300U uses the Raven Ridge 2 (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i5-7360U uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 300U scores 3,861 against the Core i5-7360U's 3,823 — a 1% lead for the Athlon 300U. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 900 vs 1,112, a 21.1% lead for the Core i5-7360U that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,800 vs 2,096 (15.2% advantage for the Core i5-7360U). L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon 300U vs 4 MB on the Core i5-7360U.

FeatureAthlon 300UCore i5-7360U
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
2 / 4
Boost Clock
3.3 GHz
3.6 GHz+9%
Base Clock
2.4 GHz+4%
2.3 GHz
L3 Cache
4 MB (total)
4 MB
L2 Cache
512K (per core)
512 kB
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Raven Ridge 2 (2019)
Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
PassMark
3,861
3,823
Geekbench 6 Single
900
1,112+24%
Geekbench 6 Multi
1,800
2,096+16%
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Memory & Platform

The Athlon 300U uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-7360U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2400 on the Athlon 300U versus DDR4-2133 on the Core i5-7360U — the Athlon 300U supports 12.5% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. Both provide 12 PCIe lanes. Chipset compatibility: FP5 (Athlon 300U) and Sunrise Point-LP (Core i5-7360U).

FeatureAthlon 300UCore i5-7360U
Socket
FP5
BGA1356
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2400+13%
DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity
32 GB
32 GB
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
No
No
PCIe Lanes
12
12
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Advanced Features

Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon 300U) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-7360U). Both include integrated graphics Radeon RX Vega 3 (Athlon 300U) and Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 (Core i5-7360U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon 300U targets Budget Laptop, Core i5-7360U targets Ultrabook.

FeatureAthlon 300UCore i5-7360U
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
Radeon RX Vega 3
Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640
Unlocked
No
No
AVX-512
No
No
Virtualization
AMD-V
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Budget Laptop
Ultrabook