Core i7-3930K vs Ryzen 5 7520C

CPU

GPU

Core i7-3930K

6 Cores12 Thrd130 WWMax: 3.8 GHz2011

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Ryzen 5 7520C

4 Cores8 Thrd15 WWMax: 4.3 GHz2023

Popular choices:

•••••••••

Performance Spectrum - CPU

Core i7-3930K

6 / 12

8,204

+1.2%

8,104

0.0%

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.

Head-to-Head Verdict, Benchmarks, Value & Long-Term Outlook

This comparison brings together gaming FPS, productivity performance, platform differences, power efficiency, pricing context, and upgrade path so you can see which CPU actually makes more sense.

Core i7-3930K

2011

Why buy it

✅+1.2% higher PassMark.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7520C across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $583 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 7520C mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌766.7% higher power demand at 130W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011, while Ryzen 5 7520C moves to FT6 and DDR5.

Ryzen 5 7520C

2023

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 15W instead of 130W, a 115W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FT6 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and older memory support.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (8,104 vs 8,204).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 12 MB).

Core i7-3930K

2011

Ryzen 5 7520C

2023

Why buy it

✅+1.2% higher PassMark.
✅+200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (40 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +4.2% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 15W instead of 130W, a 115W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FT6 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2011 and older memory support.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 5 7520C across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Launch MSRP is still $583 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 7520C mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌766.7% higher power demand at 130W vs 15W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2011, while Ryzen 5 7520C moves to FT6 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (8,104 vs 8,204).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 12 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 5 7520C better than Core i7-3930K?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen 5 7520C is ahead with a 4.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-3930K pulls ahead with 1.2% better PassMark. Core i7-3930K also has the bigger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-3930K is the better fit. You are getting 1.2% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 200% larger total L3 cache (12 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Ryzen 5 7520C is the smarter buy by a wide margin for a fresh build. Ryzen 5 7520C is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus $583 MSRP, and it gives you a 4.2% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. Core i7-3930K only looks stronger on raw value math because it is extremely cheap, but that is mostly used-market pricing on an obsolete 2011 platform. Even with 100.0% better value on paper (14.1 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), it really only makes sense as a very cheap stopgap or a niche existing-platform option for someone already on LGA2011.

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

Ryzen 5 7520C is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2023 vs 2011) and a healthier platform with FT6 and DDR5 instead of LGA2011. That should give you a better long-term upgrade path for motherboard, RAM, and future CPU swaps.

Games Benchmarks

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 i7-3930K Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 7520C Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-3930K	Ryzen 5 7520C
1080p
low	162 FPS	170 FPS
medium	139 FPS	135 FPS
high	112 FPS	108 FPS
ultra	92 FPS	86 FPS
1440p
low	136 FPS	143 FPS
medium	115 FPS	112 FPS
high	91 FPS	90 FPS
ultra	74 FPS	72 FPS
4K
low	62 FPS	76 FPS
medium	56 FPS	64 FPS
high	44 FPS	51 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	40 FPS

Open Core i7-3930K Open Ryzen 5 7520C

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-3930K	Ryzen 5 7520C
1080p
low	205 FPS	203 FPS
medium	186 FPS	203 FPS
high	171 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	138 FPS	175 FPS
1440p
low	189 FPS	203 FPS
medium	164 FPS	199 FPS
high	152 FPS	181 FPS
ultra	127 FPS	154 FPS
4K
low	163 FPS	174 FPS
medium	143 FPS	153 FPS
high	128 FPS	127 FPS
ultra	94 FPS	107 FPS

Open Core i7-3930K Open Ryzen 5 7520C

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-3930K	Ryzen 5 7520C
1080p
low	205 FPS	203 FPS
medium	205 FPS	203 FPS
high	205 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	205 FPS	203 FPS
1440p
low	205 FPS	203 FPS
medium	205 FPS	203 FPS
high	205 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	205 FPS	203 FPS
4K
low	205 FPS	203 FPS
medium	205 FPS	203 FPS
high	205 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	205 FPS	203 FPS

Open Core i7-3930K Open Ryzen 5 7520C

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-3930K	Ryzen 5 7520C
1080p
low	205 FPS	203 FPS
medium	205 FPS	203 FPS
high	205 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	205 FPS	203 FPS
1440p
low	205 FPS	203 FPS
medium	205 FPS	203 FPS
high	205 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	205 FPS	203 FPS
4K
low	205 FPS	203 FPS
medium	205 FPS	203 FPS
high	205 FPS	203 FPS
ultra	205 FPS	203 FPS

Open Core i7-3930K Open Ryzen 5 7520C

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-3930K and Ryzen 5 7520C

Core i7-3930K

The Core i7-3930K is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 November 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 12 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2011. Thermal design power (TDP): 130 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 8,204 points. Launch price was $611.

Ryzen 5 7520C

The Ryzen 5 7520C is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 May 2023 (2 years ago). It is based on the Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.3 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: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 8,104 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-3930K packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen 5 7520C offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-3930K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Core i7-3930K versus 4.3 GHz on the Ryzen 5 7520C — a 12.3% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 7520C (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.8 GHz). The Core i7-3930K uses the Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Ryzen 5 7520C uses Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023) (6 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-3930K scores 8,204 against the Ryzen 5 7520C's 8,104 — a 1.2% lead for the Core i7-3930K. L3 cache: 12 MB (total) on the Core i7-3930K vs 4 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 7520C.

Feature	Core i7-3930K	Ryzen 5 7520C
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz	4.3 GHz+13%
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+14%	2.8 GHz
L3 Cache	12 MB (total)+200%	4 MB (total)
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	512 kB (per core)+100%
Process	32 nm	6 nm-81%
Architecture	Sandy Bridge-E (2011−2013)	Mendocino (Zen 2) (2022−2023)
PassMark	8,204+1%	8,104
Geekbench 6 Single	731	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-3930K uses the LGA2011 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Ryzen 5 7520C uses FT6 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-3930K	Ryzen 5 7520C
Socket	LGA2011	FT6
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 4.0+100%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1600	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	40	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i7-3930K) / not specified (Ryzen 5 7520C). Primary use case: Core i7-3930K targets HEDT Desktop. Direct competitor: Core i7-3930K rivals FX-8350.