FirePro A320 vs M1 Pro 8-Core

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.

FirePro A320

2012

Why buy it

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M1 Pro 8-Core across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,153 vs 17,218).
❌257.1% higher power demand at 100W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on FM2, while M1 Pro 8-Core moves to none and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while M1 Pro 8-Core can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

M1 Pro 8-Core

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +385.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 28W instead of 100W, a 72W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of FM2 and older memory support.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Apple M1 Pro GPU (14-core), while FirePro A320 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

FirePro A320

2012

M1 Pro 8-Core

2021

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +385.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 28W instead of 100W, a 72W reduction.
✅Newer platform on none with DDR5 support instead of FM2 and older memory support.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Apple M1 Pro GPU (14-core), while FirePro A320 needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than M1 Pro 8-Core across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,153 vs 17,218).
❌257.1% higher power demand at 100W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on FM2, while M1 Pro 8-Core moves to none and DDR5.
❌No integrated graphics, while M1 Pro 8-Core can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Quick Answers

So, is M1 Pro 8-Core better than FirePro A320?

Yes. M1 Pro 8-Core is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 385.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data, 699.7% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, M1 Pro 8-Core is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 385.6% more average FPS across 4 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, M1 Pro 8-Core is the better fit. You are getting 699.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.

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

M1 Pro 8-Core still looks like the safer overall buy. M1 Pro 8-Core is at an unclear MSRP at unclear MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 385.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data.

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

M1 Pro 8-Core is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2021 vs 2012), a healthier platform with none and DDR5 instead of FM2, and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 8 threads instead of 4/4. 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.

FirePro A320 Benchmark Check

M1 Pro 8-Core Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	FirePro A320	M1 Pro 8-Core
1080p
low	54 FPS	175 FPS
medium	54 FPS	140 FPS
high	54 FPS	113 FPS
ultra	54 FPS	90 FPS
1440p
low	54 FPS	141 FPS
medium	54 FPS	111 FPS
high	54 FPS	88 FPS
ultra	54 FPS	69 FPS
4K
low	54 FPS	66 FPS
medium	54 FPS	55 FPS
high	46 FPS	44 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	35 FPS

Open FirePro A320 Open M1 Pro 8-Core

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	FirePro A320	M1 Pro 8-Core
1080p
low	54 FPS	163 FPS
medium	54 FPS	143 FPS
high	54 FPS	126 FPS
ultra	54 FPS	99 FPS
1440p
low	54 FPS	140 FPS
medium	54 FPS	127 FPS
high	54 FPS	114 FPS
ultra	54 FPS	89 FPS
4K
low	54 FPS	99 FPS
medium	54 FPS	93 FPS
high	54 FPS	82 FPS
ultra	54 FPS	64 FPS

Open FirePro A320 Open M1 Pro 8-Core

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	FirePro A320	M1 Pro 8-Core
1080p
low	54 FPS	430 FPS
medium	54 FPS	430 FPS
high	54 FPS	430 FPS
ultra	54 FPS	430 FPS
1440p
low	54 FPS	430 FPS
medium	54 FPS	430 FPS
high	54 FPS	391 FPS
ultra	54 FPS	341 FPS
4K
low	54 FPS	398 FPS
medium	54 FPS	309 FPS
high	54 FPS	260 FPS
ultra	54 FPS	208 FPS

Open FirePro A320 Open M1 Pro 8-Core

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	FirePro A320	M1 Pro 8-Core
1080p
low	54 FPS	430 FPS
medium	54 FPS	430 FPS
high	54 FPS	430 FPS
ultra	54 FPS	430 FPS
1440p
low	54 FPS	430 FPS
medium	54 FPS	430 FPS
high	54 FPS	430 FPS
ultra	54 FPS	429 FPS
4K
low	54 FPS	430 FPS
medium	54 FPS	407 FPS
high	54 FPS	363 FPS
ultra	54 FPS	315 FPS

Open FirePro A320 Open M1 Pro 8-Core

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of FirePro A320 and M1 Pro 8-Core

FirePro A320

The FirePro A320 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2015-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.8 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 100 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 2,153 points. Launch price was $800.

M1 Pro 8-Core

The M1 Pro 8-Core is manufactured by Apple. It was released in 18 October 2021 (4 years ago). It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.06 GHz, with boost up to 3.22 GHz. L3 cache: 16 MB. L2 cache: 28 MB. Built on 5 nm process technology. Socket: none. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 MB + 16 MB. Memory support: LPDDR5. Passmark benchmark score: 17,218 points. Launch price was $299.

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Processing Power

The FirePro A320 packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the M1 Pro 8-Core offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the M1 Pro 8-Core has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.2 GHz on the FirePro A320 versus 3.22 GHz on the M1 Pro 8-Core — a 26.4% clock advantage for the FirePro A320 (base: 3.8 GHz vs 2.06 GHz). The FirePro A320 is built on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. In PassMark, the FirePro A320 scores 2,153 against the M1 Pro 8-Core's 17,218 — a 155.5% lead for the M1 Pro 8-Core.

Feature	FirePro A320	M1 Pro 8-Core
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	8 / 8+100%
Boost Clock	4.2 GHz+30%	3.22 GHz
Base Clock	3.8 GHz+84%	2.06 GHz
L3 Cache	—	16 MB
L2 Cache	4 MB (total)	28 MB+600%
Process	32 nm	5 nm-84%
Architecture	Trinity (2012−2013)	—
PassMark	2,153	17,218+700%

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Memory & Platform

The FirePro A320 uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the M1 Pro 8-Core uses none (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	FirePro A320	M1 Pro 8-Core
Socket	FM2	none
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 4.0+100%
Max RAM Speed	—	LPDDR5-6400
Max RAM Capacity	—	32 GB
RAM Channels	—	4
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	0

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (FirePro A320) / Virtualization (M1 Pro 8-Core). The M1 Pro 8-Core includes integrated graphics (Apple M1 Pro GPU (14-core)), while the FirePro A320 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: M1 Pro 8-Core targets Mobile.