FX-8320E vs Core i7-3612QE

FX-8320E

8 Cores8 Thrd95 WWMax: 4 GHz2014

Core i7-3612QE

4 Cores8 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.1 GHz2012

Performance Spectrum - CPU

FX-8320E

8 / 8

4,960

+0.6%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Core i7-3612QE

4 / 8

4,929

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.

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 FX-8320E is positioned at rank 555 and the Core i7-3612QE is on rank 1042, so the FX-8320E 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 FX-8320E

Ryzen 9 7950X

MSRP: $194|Avg: $20

9239%

Core i9-10900T

MSRP: $120|Avg: $5

8730%

Ryzen 3 PRO 4355GE

MSRP: $423|Avg: $5

6338%

Ryzen Threadripper 3960X

MSRP: $1399|Avg: $85

1910%

Ryzen 9 9950X

MSRP: $649|Avg: $129

1513%

Ryzen 5 8400F

MSRP: $303|Avg: $55

1323%

Ryzen 7 PRO 2700

MSRP: $299|Avg: $60

758%

Ryzen 5 2600X

MSRP: $229|Avg: $55

748%

Ryzen 3 PRO 5350G

MSRP: $150|Avg: $60

681%

#10

Core Ultra 5 245KF

MSRP: $294|Avg: $189

681%

#11

Ryzen 5 5500

MSRP: $159|Avg: $85

673%

#12

Ryzen 5 3600

MSRP: $199|Avg: $80

655%

#13

Core i3-9100E

MSRP: $202|Avg: $30

646%

#14

Core Ultra 5 245K

MSRP: $319|Avg: $200

643%

#15

Core i3-8300T

MSRP: $138|Avg: $25

638%

#274

Ryzen 7 1800X

MSRP: $499|Avg: $120

97%

#379

Core i9-9940X

MSRP: $1387|Avg: $850

98%

#380

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7955WX

MSRP: $1899|Avg: $1836

97%

#381

Ryzen Embedded V1756B

MSRP: $250|Avg: $250

96%

#555

FX-8320E

MSRP: $147|Avg: $60

100%

#556

Pentium G3260

MSRP: $64|Avg: $21

98%

#561

Athlon II X2 220

MSRP: $32|Avg: $10

97%

#563

Athlon X4 840

MSRP: $102|Avg: $25

97%

#564

Athlon 5350

MSRP: $55|Avg: $15

97%

#566

FX-8320

MSRP: $169|Avg: $50

96%

#567

FX-8120

MSRP: $205|Avg: $40

95%

#568

Core i3-7100T

MSRP: $117|Avg: $39

95%

#569

Pentium E2220

MSRP: $32|Avg: $32

95%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i7-3612QE

#1029

Atom x5-Z8300

MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A

2536%

#1030

Atom Z3735G

MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A

2499%

#1031

Core i5-480M

MSRP: $81|Avg: $77

2294%

#1032

Core i5-460M

MSRP: $80|Avg: $129

2283%

#1033

Core i5-2540M

MSRP: $266|Avg: $10

2263%

#1035

Core i5-450M

MSRP: $32|Avg: $31

2185%

#1036

Core i3-380M

MSRP: $49|Avg: $25

2095%

#1037

Core i5-430M

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33

2092%

#1038

Core 2 Duo T6600

MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4

2035%

#1041

A10-7300

MSRP: $150|Avg: $50

100%

#1042

Core i7-3612QE

MSRP: $426|Avg: $50

100%

#1043

Pentium Dual Core T4200

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

99%

#1044

A6 Micro-6500T

MSRP: $100|Avg: $15

99%

#1045

Pentium N3520

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

99%

#1046

E2-3800

MSRP: $100|Avg: $20

98%

#1047

Athlon X2 QL-66

MSRP: $150|Avg: $5

98%

#1048

Athlon II Neo K145

MSRP: $50|Avg: $10

98%

#1049

Celeron P4600

MSRP: $86|Avg: $15

97%

#1050

Core 2 Duo U7500

MSRP: $100|Avg: $10

96%

#1051

Pentium 987

MSRP: $134|Avg: $20

96%

#1052

Core i7-4910MQ

MSRP: $570|Avg: $570

96%

#1053

Pentium T4400

MSRP: $107|Avg: $5

95%

#1055

Athlon X2 QL-65

MSRP: $150|Avg: $22

94%

#1056

Pentium J2850

MSRP: $94|Avg: $94

93%

Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Performance Trade-off: The Core i7-3612QE leads in gaming performance. However, the FX-8320E is the stronger candidate for professional workloads, offering 0.6% greater multi-core processing power.

Insight	FX-8320E	Core i7-3612QE
Gaming	❌ Lower gaming performance	✅ Superior gaming performance
Workstation	✅ Better multi-core power	❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks
Price	⚠️ Higher cost ($60)	✅ More affordable ($50)
Longevity	🛑 Legacy (Vishera (2012−2015) / 32 nm)	🛑 Legacy (Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) / 22 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

Efficiency: Even within a comparison of older hardware, the Core i7-3612QE stands out as the superior choice. It is effectively 17% cheaper ($50 vs $60) while identifying as the stronger performer.

Insight	FX-8320E	Core i7-3612QE
Cost Efficiency	❌ Lower cost efficiency	✅ Better overall value (+19%)
Upfront Cost	⚠️ Higher cost ($60)	✅ More affordable ($50)

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.

FX-8320E Benchmark Check

Core i7-3612QE Benchmark Check

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of FX-8320E and Core i7-3612QE

FX-8320E

The FX-8320E is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2 September 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Vishera (2012−2015) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L2 cache: 8192 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: AM3+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 4,960 points. Launch price was $147.

Core i7-3612QE

The Core i7-3612QE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 29 April 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 6144 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1023. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: unknown Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 4,929 points. Launch price was $69.

⚡

Processing Power

The FX-8320E packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Core i7-3612QE offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the FX-8320E has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the FX-8320E versus 3.1 GHz on the Core i7-3612QE — a 25.4% clock advantage for the FX-8320E (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The FX-8320E uses the Vishera (2012−2015) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i7-3612QE uses Ivy Bridge (2012−2013) (22 nm). In PassMark, the FX-8320E scores 4,960 against the Core i7-3612QE's 4,929 — a 0.6% lead for the FX-8320E. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 439 vs 640, a 37.3% lead for the Core i7-3612QE that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,734 vs 2,200 (23.7% advantage for the Core i7-3612QE).

Feature	FX-8320E	Core i7-3612QE
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+100%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4 GHz+29%	3.1 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+52%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	—	6144 kB (total)
L2 Cache	8192 kB+3100%	256 kB (per core)
Process	32 nm	22 nm-31%
Architecture	Vishera (2012−2015)	Ivy Bridge (2012−2013)
PassMark	4,960	4,929
Geekbench 6 Single	439	640+46%
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,734	2,200+27%

🧠

Memory & Platform

The FX-8320E uses the AM3+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i7-3612QE uses BGA1023 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1866 memory speed. The FX-8320E supports up to 32 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 66.7% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 0 (FX-8320E) vs 16 (Core i7-3612QE) — the Core i7-3612QE offers 16 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD 990FX,AMD 970 (FX-8320E) and HM76,QM77 (Core i7-3612QE).

Feature	FX-8320E	Core i7-3612QE
Socket	AM3+	BGA1023
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1866	DDR3-1600
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB+100%	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	❌	✅
PCIe Lanes	0	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the FX-8320E has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: AMD-V (FX-8320E) vs VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-3612QE). The Core i7-3612QE includes integrated graphics (Intel HD Graphics 4000), while the FX-8320E requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-3612QE targets Industrial/Embedded.

Feature	FX-8320E	Core i7-3612QE
Integrated GPU	No	Yes
IGPU Model	—	Intel HD Graphics 4000
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Industrial/Embedded

💰

Value Analysis

The FX-8320E launched at $147 MSRP, while the Core i7-3612QE debuted at $426. At current prices ($60 vs $50), the Core i7-3612QE is $10 cheaper. In terms of value (PassMark points per dollar), the FX-8320E delivers 82.7 pts/$ vs 98.6 pts/$ for the Core i7-3612QE — making the Core i7-3612QE the 17.6% better value option.