Core i5-7300U vs Athlon X4 880K
Core i5-7300U
Athlon X4 880K
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 Core i5-7300U is positioned at rank 611 and the Athlon X4 880K is on rank 511, so the Athlon X4 880K offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Core i5-7300U
Performance Per Dollar Athlon X4 880K
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Core i5-7300U | Athlon X4 880K |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Kaby Lake (2016−2019) / 14 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Godaveri (2014−2016) / 28 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Core i5-7300U | Athlon X4 880K |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($25) |
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 Core i5-7300U and Athlon X4 880K
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.
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.
Processing Power
The Core i5-7300U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Athlon X4 880K offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon X4 880K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Core i5-7300U versus 4.2 GHz on the Athlon X4 880K — a 18.2% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 880K (base: 2.6 GHz vs 4 GHz). The Core i5-7300U uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Athlon X4 880K uses Godaveri (2014−2016) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-7300U scores 3,631 against the Athlon X4 880K's 3,649 — a 0.5% lead for the Athlon X4 880K.
| Feature | Core i5-7300U | Athlon X4 880K |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 4 / 4+100% |
| Boost Clock | 3.5 GHz | 4.2 GHz+20% |
| Base Clock | 2.6 GHz | 4 GHz+54% |
| L3 Cache | 3 MB | — |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 4 MB+700% |
| Process | 14 nm-50% | 28 nm |
| Architecture | Kaby Lake (2016−2019) | Godaveri (2014−2016) |
| PassMark | 3,631 | 3,649 |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-7300U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Athlon X4 880K uses FM2+ (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2133 on the Core i5-7300U versus DDR3-2133 on the Athlon X4 880K — the Core i5-7300U supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon X4 880K supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 12 (Core i5-7300U) vs 16 (Athlon X4 880K) — the Athlon X4 880K offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.
| Feature | Core i5-7300U | Athlon X4 880K |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1356 | FM2+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 3.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2133+33% | DDR3-2133 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | 64 GB+100% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | 16+33% |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-7300U) / not specified (Athlon X4 880K). 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.
| Feature | Core i5-7300U | Athlon X4 880K |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | HD Graphics 620 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Mobile | — |
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