FX-8320E vs Xeon E5-2420
FX-8320E
Xeon E5-2420
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 FX-8320E is positioned at rank 555 and the Xeon E5-2420 is on rank 556, so the FX-8320E offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar FX-8320E
Performance Per Dollar Xeon E5-2420
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | FX-8320E | Xeon E5-2420 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ⚠️ Higher cost ($60) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
| Longevity | 🛑 Legacy (Vishera (2012−2015) / 32 nm) | 🛑 Legacy (Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) / 32 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | FX-8320E | Xeon E5-2420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ⚠️ Higher cost ($60) | ✅ More affordable ($0) |
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 FX-8320E and Xeon E5-2420
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.
Xeon E5-2420
The Xeon E5-2420 is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 14 May 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 1.9 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 15360 kB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,012 points. Launch price was $390.
Processing Power
The FX-8320E packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Xeon E5-2420 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the FX-8320E has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the FX-8320E versus 2.4 GHz on the Xeon E5-2420 — a 50% clock advantage for the FX-8320E (base: 3.2 GHz vs 1.9 GHz). The FX-8320E uses the Vishera (2012−2015) architecture (32 nm), while the Xeon E5-2420 uses Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the FX-8320E scores 4,960 against the Xeon E5-2420's 5,012 — a 1% lead for the Xeon E5-2420.
| Feature | FX-8320E | Xeon E5-2420 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 8 / 8+33% | 6 / 12 |
| Boost Clock | 4 GHz+67% | 2.4 GHz |
| Base Clock | 3.2 GHz+68% | 1.9 GHz |
| L3 Cache | — | 15360 kB (total) |
| L2 Cache | 8192 kB+3100% | 256 kB (per core) |
| Process | 32 nm | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Vishera (2012−2015) | Sandy Bridge-EN (2012) |
| PassMark | 4,960 | 5,012+1% |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 439 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,734 | — |
Memory & Platform
The FX-8320E uses the AM3+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Xeon E5-2420 uses LGA1356 (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | FX-8320E | Xeon E5-2420 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | AM3+ | LGA1356 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 2.0 | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR3-1866 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | ❌ | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 0 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: AMD-V (FX-8320E) / not specified (Xeon E5-2420).
| Feature | FX-8320E | Xeon E5-2420 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | No | — |
| Unlocked | Yes | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | — |
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