Athlon X4 880K vs Core i5-7300U

Athlon X4 880K vs Core i5-7300U Performance Spectrum

Athlon X4 880K

4 / 4

3,649

+0.5%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-7300U

2 / 4

3,631

0.0%

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 X4 880K vs Core i5-7300U 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 X4 880K vs Core i5-7300U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon X4 880K

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +15.1% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $95 MSRP, while Core i5-7300U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌533.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-7300U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-7300U

2017

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 95W, a 80W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with HD Graphics 620, while Athlon X4 880K needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon X4 880K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,631 vs 3,649).

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon X4 880K better than Core i5-7300U?

Yes. Athlon X4 880K is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 15.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.5% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon X4 880K is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 15.1% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon X4 880K is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

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

Athlon X4 880K is the better buy right now. Athlon X4 880K comes in at an unclear MSRP at $95 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 15.1% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (38.4 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Core i5-7300U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2017 vs 2015). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon X4 880K vs Core i5-7300U Technical Specifications

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

Athlon X4 880K

The Athlon X4 880K is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Godaveri (2014−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 4 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FM2+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 3,649 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i5-7300U

The Core i5-7300U 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 2.6 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 3 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: 3,631 points. Launch price was $281.

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Processing Power

The Athlon X4 880K packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-7300U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon X4 880K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the Athlon X4 880K versus 3.5 GHz on the Core i5-7300U — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 880K (base: 4 GHz vs 2.6 GHz). The Athlon X4 880K uses the Godaveri (2014−2016) architecture (28 nm), while the Core i5-7300U uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X4 880K scores 3,649 against the Core i5-7300U's 3,631 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon X4 880K.

Feature	Athlon X4 880K	Core i5-7300U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+20%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	4 GHz+54%	2.6 GHz
L3 Cache	—	3 MB
L2 Cache	4 MB+700%	512 kB
Process	28 nm	14 nm-50%
Architecture	Godaveri (2014−2016)	Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
PassMark	3,649	3,631

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon X4 880K uses the FM2+ socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i5-7300U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-2133 memory speed. The Athlon X4 880K supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Athlon X4 880K) vs 12 (Core i5-7300U) — the Athlon X4 880K offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Athlon X4 880K	Core i5-7300U
Socket	FM2+	BGA1356
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-2133	DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB+100%	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16+33%	12

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon X4 880K) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-7300U). The Core i5-7300U includes integrated graphics (HD Graphics 620), while the Athlon X4 880K requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-7300U targets Mobile.