Athlon Gold 7220U vs FX-8320E

Athlon Gold 7220U vs FX-8320E Performance Spectrum

Athlon Gold 7220U

2 / 4

4,904

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

FX-8320E

8 / 8

4,960

+1.1%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

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 Gold 7220U vs FX-8320E 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 Gold 7220U vs FX-8320E: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon Gold 7220U

2022

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 95W, a 80W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FT6 with DDR5 support instead of AM3+ and older memory support.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (4 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon 610M, while FX-8320E needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than FX-8320E across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,904 vs 4,960).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike FX-8320E.

FX-8320E

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +29.4% higher average FPS across 44 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Athlon Gold 7220U.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $147 MSRP, while Athlon Gold 7220U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌533.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on AM3+, while Athlon Gold 7220U moves to FT6 and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while Athlon Gold 7220U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is FX-8320E better than Athlon Gold 7220U?

Yes. FX-8320E is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 29.4% average FPS lead across 44 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1.1% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, FX-8320E is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 29.4% more average FPS across 44 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, FX-8320E is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.1% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.

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

FX-8320E is the better buy right now. FX-8320E comes in at an unclear MSRP at $147 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 29.4% average FPS lead across 44 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (33.7 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 Gold 7220U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2022 vs 2014) and a healthier platform with FT6 and DDR5 instead of AM3+. That gives you a healthier platform runway for motherboard, RAM, and later CPU upgrades.

Athlon Gold 7220U vs FX-8320E Technical Specifications

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

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.

FX-8320E

The FX-8320E is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 September 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Vishera (2012−2015) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L2 cache: 8192 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: AM3+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,960 points. Launch price was $147.

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Processing Power

The Athlon Gold 7220U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the FX-8320E offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the FX-8320E has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.7 GHz on the Athlon Gold 7220U versus 4 GHz on the FX-8320E — a 7.8% clock advantage for the FX-8320E (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Athlon Gold 7220U uses the Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) architecture (6 nm), while the FX-8320E uses Vishera (2012−2015) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Gold 7220U scores 4,904 against the FX-8320E's 4,960 — a 1.1% lead for the FX-8320E.

Feature	Athlon Gold 7220U	FX-8320E
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	8 / 8+300%
Boost Clock	3.7 GHz	4 GHz+8%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	3.2 GHz+33%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	8192 kB+1500%
Process	6 nm-81%	32 nm
Architecture	Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023)	Vishera (2012−2015)
PassMark	4,904	4,960+1%
Geekbench 6 Single	—	439
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,734

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon Gold 7220U uses the FT6 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the FX-8320E uses AM3+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches 5500 on the Athlon Gold 7220U versus DDR3-1866 on the FX-8320E — the Athlon Gold 7220U supports 194.7% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The FX-8320E supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 4 (Athlon Gold 7220U) vs 0 (FX-8320E) — the Athlon Gold 7220U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: FT6 (Athlon Gold 7220U) and AMD 990FX,AMD 970 (FX-8320E).

Feature	Athlon Gold 7220U	FX-8320E
Socket	FT6	AM3+
PCIe Generation	PCIe 4.0+100%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	5500+195%	DDR3-1866
Max RAM Capacity	16 GB	32 GB+100%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	4	0

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the FX-8320E has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: true (Athlon Gold 7220U) vs AMD-V (FX-8320E). The Athlon Gold 7220U includes integrated graphics (Radeon 610M), while the FX-8320E requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Athlon Gold 7220U rivals Core i3-1115G4.