Core i7-3520M vs FX-8800P

CPU

GPU

Core i7-3520M

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 3.6 GHz2012

FX-8800P

4 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2015

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-3520M

2 / 4

2,842

+0.3%

2,833

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

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 i7-3520M is positioned at rank 1127 and the FX-8800P is on rank 903, so the FX-8800P 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 Core i7-3520M

#1113

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

3574%

#1114

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

3521%

#1115

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

3233%

#1116

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

3218%

#1117

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

3189%

#1119

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

3079%

#1120

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2952%

#1121

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2948%

#1122

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2868%

#1125

Pentium Dual Core T4300

MSRP: $150|Avg: $99

100%

#1126

Core i3-4100E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $30

100%

#1127

Core i7-3520M

MSRP: $346|Avg: N/A

100%

#1128

Core i3-2310E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $20

100%

#1129

Core i5-2510E

MSRP: $230|Avg: $30

100%

#1130

Core m5-6Y54

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

99%

#1132

Core i3-2330E

MSRP: $225|Avg: $10

99%

#1133

Core i5-4288U

MSRP: $342|Avg: N/A

95%

#1134

Core m3-6Y30

MSRP: $281|Avg: $281

95%

#1135

Core i3-2340UE

MSRP: $200|Avg: $200

94%

#1136

Core i7-2820QM

MSRP: $568|Avg: N/A

94%

#1137

Core i5-520M

MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A

94%

#1139

Celeron 807

MSRP: $70|Avg: $10

93%

#1140

Pentium B950

MSRP: $134|Avg: $35

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar FX-8800P

#891

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

1553%

#892

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

1530%

#893

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

1405%

#894

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

1399%

#895

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

1386%

#897

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

1338%

#898

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

1283%

#899

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

1281%

#900

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

1247%

#903

FX-8800P

MSRP: $150|Avg: $45

100%

#905

Core i7-8809G

MSRP: $450|Avg: $450

99%

#911

Core i7-6820HK

MSRP: $378|Avg: N/A

98%

#912

Athlon II Neo K325

MSRP: $60|Avg: $25

98%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Leadership: The Core i7-3520M delivers superior performance across the board. It outperforms the FX-8800P in both compute-intensive tasks (0.3% faster) and gaming workloads.

Insight	Core i7-3520M	FX-8800P
Gaming	✅ Superior gaming performance	❌ Lower gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($346)	✅ More affordable ($45)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Carrizo (2015−2018) / 28 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Value Proposition: While both processors are considered legacy components by modern standards, the FX-8800P holds the technical lead in efficiency. Priced at $45 (vs $346), it costs 87% less. While offering basic entry-level performance, it results in a 666% higher cost efficiency score compared to the Core i7-3520M.

Insight	Core i7-3520M	FX-8800P
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+666%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($346)	✅ More affordable ($45)

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.

Core i7-3520M Benchmark Check

FX-8800P Benchmark Check

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-3520M and FX-8800P

Core i7-3520M

The Core i7-3520M is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 June 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: PGA988. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,842 points. Launch price was $346.

FX-8800P

The FX-8800P is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 June 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Carrizo (2015−2018) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L2 cache: 2048 kB. Built on 28 nm process technology. Socket: FP4. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-2133. Passmark benchmark score: 2,833 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-3520M packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the FX-8800P offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the FX-8800P has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-3520M versus 3.4 GHz on the FX-8800P — a 5.7% clock advantage for the Core i7-3520M (base: 2.9 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The Core i7-3520M uses the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture (22 nm), while the FX-8800P uses Carrizo (2015−2018) (28 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-3520M scores 2,842 against the FX-8800P's 2,833 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i7-3520M.

Feature	Core i7-3520M	FX-8800P
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	3.6 GHz+6%	3.4 GHz
Base Clock	2.9 GHz+38%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256K (per core)	2048 kB+700%
Process	22 nm-21%	28 nm
Architecture	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)	Carrizo (2015−2018)
PassMark	2,842	2,833

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-3520M uses the PGA988 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the FX-8800P uses FP4 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-3520M	FX-8800P
Socket	PGA988	FP4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	32	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	❌	—
PCIe Lanes	16	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: true (Core i7-3520M) / not specified (FX-8800P). The Core i7-3520M includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the FX-8800P requires a dedicated GPU. Direct competitor: Core i7-3520M rivals AMD A10-5750M.