Athlon Gold 7220U vs Core i3-7320
Athlon Gold 7220U
Core i3-7320
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 Athlon Gold 7220U is positioned at rank 655 and the Core i3-7320 is on rank 434, so the Core i3-7320 offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon Gold 7220U
Performance Per Dollar Core i3-7320
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon Gold 7220U | Core i3-7320 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ✅ Better multi-core power | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($40) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) / 6 nm) | ✨ Modern (Kaby Lake (2016−2019) / 14 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon Gold 7220U | Core i3-7320 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($40) |
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 Athlon Gold 7220U and Core i3-7320
Athlon Gold 7220U
The Athlon Gold 7220U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.7 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 6 nm process technology. Socket: FT6. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR5 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 4,904 points. Launch price was $149.
Core i3-7320
The Core i3-7320 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 4.1 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 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: 4,831 points. Launch price was $157.
Processing Power
Both the Athlon Gold 7220U and Core i3-7320 share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Athlon Gold 7220U versus 4.1 GHz on the Core i3-7320 — a 10.3% clock advantage for the Core i3-7320 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 4.1 GHz). The Athlon Gold 7220U uses the Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) architecture (6 nm), while the Core i3-7320 uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Gold 7220U scores 4,904 against the Core i3-7320's 4,831 — a 1.5% lead for the Athlon Gold 7220U. Both processors carry 4 MB (total) of L3 cache.
| Feature | Athlon Gold 7220U | Core i3-7320 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 2 / 4 |
| Boost Clock | 3.7 GHz | 4.1 GHz+11% |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz | 4.1 GHz+71% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 4 MB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB (per core)+100% | 256K (per core) |
| Process | 6 nm-57% | 14 nm |
| Architecture | Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) | Kaby Lake (2016−2019) |
| PassMark | 4,904+2% | 4,831 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | — | 1,388 |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon Gold 7220U uses the FT6 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i3-7320 uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 5500 on the Athlon Gold 7220U versus DDR4-2400 on the Core i3-7320 — the Athlon Gold 7220U supports 199.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Core i3-7320 supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 16 — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 4 (Athlon Gold 7220U) vs 16 (Core i3-7320) — the Core i3-7320 offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: FT6 (Athlon Gold 7220U) and B250,H270,Z270,Q250,Q270 (Core i3-7320).
| Feature | Athlon Gold 7220U | Core i3-7320 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FT6 | LGA1151 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 4.0+33% | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | 5500+137400% | DDR4-2400 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 16 | 64 GB+419430300% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| PCIe Lanes | 4 | 16+300% |
Advanced Features
Neither processor supports overclocking. Virtualization support: true (Athlon Gold 7220U) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-7320). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon 610M (Athlon Gold 7220U) and HD Graphics 630 (Core i3-7320) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-7320 targets Mainstream Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon Gold 7220U rivals Core i3-1115G4; Core i3-7320 rivals Ryzen 3 1300X.
| Feature | Athlon Gold 7220U | Core i3-7320 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | Yes |
| IGPU Model | Radeon 610M | HD Graphics 630 |
| Unlocked | No | No |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | true | VT-x, VT-d, EPT |
| Target Use | — | Mainstream Desktop |
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