Athlon 64 FX-72 vs Athlon 5350

Athlon 64 FX-72 vs Athlon 5350 Performance Spectrum

Athlon 64 FX-72

2 / 2

1,794

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Athlon 5350

4 / 4

1,796

+0.1%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

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.

Athlon 64 FX-72 vs Athlon 5350 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 64 FX-72 vs Athlon 5350: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon 64 FX-72

2006

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (1,794 vs 1,796).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 2.2 vs 32.7 PassMark/$ ($799 MSRP vs $55 MSRP).
❌400% higher power demand at 125W vs 25W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Athlon 5350 can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon 5350.

Athlon 5350

2014

Why buy it

✅+0.1% higher PassMark.
✅Costs $744 less on MSRP ($55 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Delivers 1354.3% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 32.7 vs 2.2 PassMark/$ ($55 MSRP vs $799 MSRP).
✅Draws 25W instead of 125W, a 100W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 5350 better than Athlon 64 FX-72?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon 64 FX-72 is ahead with a 1.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 5350 pulls ahead with 0.1% better PassMark.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 5350 is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon 5350 is the better buy right now. Athlon 5350 comes in $744 cheaper on MSRP at $55 MSRP versus $799 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.1% better PassMark. The compromise is that Athlon 64 FX-72 is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 1.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 1354.3% better value on MSRP (32.7 vs 2.2 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Athlon 5350 makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2014 vs 2006) and more multi-core headroom with 4 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/2. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon 64 FX-72 vs Athlon 5350 Technical Specifications

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

Athlon 64 FX-72

The Athlon 64 FX-72 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Windsor (2006−2007) architecture. It features 2 cores and 2 threads. Max frequency: 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 0 kB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 90 nm process technology. Socket: F. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR1. Passmark benchmark score: 1,794 points. Launch price was $149.

Athlon 5350

The Athlon 5350 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Kabini (2013−2014) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.05 GHz, with boost up to 2.05 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: AM1. Thermal design power (TDP): 25 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1600. Passmark benchmark score: 1,796 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon 64 FX-72 packs 2 cores / 2 threads, while the Athlon 5350 offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon 5350 has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 2.8 GHz on the Athlon 64 FX-72 versus 2.05 GHz on the Athlon 5350 — a 30.9% clock advantage for the Athlon 64 FX-72. The Athlon 64 FX-72 uses the Windsor (2006−2007) architecture (90 nm), while the Athlon 5350 uses Kabini (2013−2014) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 64 FX-72 scores 1,794 against the Athlon 5350's 1,796 — a 0.1% lead for the Athlon 5350.

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-72	Athlon 5350
Cores / Threads	2 / 2	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	2.8 GHz+37%	2.05 GHz
Base Clock	—	2.05 GHz
L3 Cache	0 kB	—
L2 Cache	1 MB	2048 kB+100%
Process	90 nm	28 nm-69%
Architecture	Windsor (2006−2007)	Kabini (2013−2014)
PassMark	1,794	1,796
Geekbench 6 Single	—	223
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	708

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon 64 FX-72 uses the F socket (PCIe 1.1), while the Athlon 5350 uses AM1 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR2-800 on the Athlon 64 FX-72 versus 1600 on the Athlon 5350 — the Athlon 5350 supports 100% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 16 GB of RAM. Memory channels: 2 (Athlon 64 FX-72) vs 1 (Athlon 5350). PCIe lanes: 0 (Athlon 64 FX-72) vs 8 (Athlon 5350) — the Athlon 5350 offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD F (1207) (Athlon 64 FX-72) and AM1 (Athlon 5350).

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-72	Athlon 5350
Socket	F	AM1
PCIe Generation	PCIe 1.1	PCIe 2.0+82%
Max RAM Speed	DDR2-800	1600+100%
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	16 GB
RAM Channels	2+100%	1
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	0	8

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon 64 FX-72) / true (Athlon 5350). The Athlon 5350 includes integrated graphics (Radeon R3 Graphics), while the Athlon 64 FX-72 requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Athlon 5350 rivals Pentium J2900.

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-72	Athlon 5350
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Radeon R3 Graphics
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	true

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 64 FX-72 was priced at $799, while the Athlon 5350 came in at $55. On launch pricing ($799 vs $55), Athlon 5350 was $744 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 64 FX-72 delivers 2.2 pts/$ vs 32.7 pts/$ for the Athlon 5350 — making the Athlon 5350 the 174.3% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 64 FX-72	Athlon 5350
MSRP	$799	$55-93%
Performance per Dollar	2.2	32.7+1386%
Release Date	2006	2014

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