Athlon Silver 7120U
VS
Core i7-5650U

Athlon Silver 7120U vs Core i7-5650U

AMD

Athlon Silver 7120U

2 Cores2 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2022
VS
Intel

Core i7-5650U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2015

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 Silver 7120U is positioned at rank 976 and the Core i7-5650U is on rank 592, so the Core i7-5650U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon Silver 7120U

#964
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
1948%
#965
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
1920%
#966
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
1762%
#967
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
1754%
#968
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
1738%
#970
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
1679%
#971
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
1610%
#972
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
1607%
#973
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
1564%
#976
Athlon Silver 7120U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#977
Phenom II X2 N640
MSRP: $100|Avg: $55
100%
#978
A10-8700P
MSRP: $150|Avg: $40
100%
#982
Athlon II Neo K125
MSRP: $100|Avg: $100
99%
#986
Pro A8-8600B
MSRP: $150|Avg: $25
98%
#991
Pentium 8500
MSRP: $200|Avg: $200
96%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-5650U

#184
Core Ultra 7 266V
MSRP: $520|Avg: $520
99%
#579
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
782%
#580
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
771%
#581
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
708%
#582
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
705%
#583
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
698%
#585
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
674%
#586
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
646%
#587
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
645%
#588
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
628%
#592
Core i7-5650U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Athlon Silver 7120U (2022) utilizes 6 nm technology and **DDR5 Dual-channel**, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightAthlon Silver 7120UCore i7-5650U
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Better multi-core power
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing
Longevity
✨ Modern (Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) / 6 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Broadwell-U (2015) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i7-5650U (2015) relies on 14 nm technology and DDR3, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightAthlon Silver 7120UCore i7-5650U
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
Equivalent pricing
Equivalent pricing

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

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 Silver 7120U and Core i7-5650U

AMD

Athlon Silver 7120U

The Athlon Silver 7120U 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 2 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 2 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: 3,012 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Core i7-5650U

The Core i7-5650U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,000 points. Launch price was $426.

Processing Power

The Athlon Silver 7120U packs 2 cores / 2 threads, matching the Core i7-5650U's 2 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Athlon Silver 7120U versus 3.1 GHz on the Core i7-5650U — a 12.1% clock advantage for the Athlon Silver 7120U (base: 2.4 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Athlon Silver 7120U uses the Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) architecture (6 nm), while the Core i7-5650U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Silver 7120U scores 3,012 against the Core i7-5650U's 3,000 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon Silver 7120U. L3 cache: 2 MB (total) on the Athlon Silver 7120U vs 4 MB (total) on the Core i7-5650U.

FeatureAthlon Silver 7120UCore i7-5650U
Cores / Threads
2 / 2
2 / 4
Boost Clock
3.5 GHz+13%
3.1 GHz
Base Clock
2.4 GHz+9%
2.2 GHz
L3 Cache
2 MB (total)
4 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)+100%
256K (per core)
Process
6 nm-57%
14 nm
Architecture
Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023)
Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark
3,012
3,000
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon Silver 7120U uses the FT6 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i7-5650U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

FeatureAthlon Silver 7120UCore i7-5650U
Socket
FT6
FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0+33%
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
LPDDR5-5500
Max RAM Capacity
16 GB
RAM Channels
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
4
🔧

Advanced Features

The Athlon Silver 7120U includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon 610M), while the Core i7-5650U requires a dedicated GPU.

FeatureAthlon Silver 7120UCore i7-5650U
Integrated GPU
Yes
IGPU Model
AMD Radeon 610M