Core i5-7360U
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FX-6120
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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.
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 i5-7360U
2017Why buy it
- ✅Draws 15W instead of 95W, a 80W reduction.
- ✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
- ✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, while FX-6120 needs a discrete GPU.
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than FX-6120 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (3,823 vs 3,853).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).
FX-6120
2012Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +4.3% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).
Trade-offs
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $188 MSRP, while Core i5-7360U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌533.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 15W.
- ❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-7360U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
Core i5-7360U
2017FX-6120
2012Why buy it
- ✅Draws 15W instead of 95W, a 80W reduction.
- ✅100+% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
- ✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640, while FX-6120 needs a discrete GPU.
Why buy it
- ✅Better for gaming: +4.3% higher average FPS across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).
Trade-offs
- ❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than FX-6120 across 3 shared CPU benchmark tests.
- ❌Lower PassMark (3,823 vs 3,853).
- ❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).
Trade-offs
- ❌Launch MSRP is still $188 MSRP, while Core i5-7360U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
- ❌533.3% higher power demand at 95W vs 15W.
- ❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-7360U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.
Quick Answers
So, is FX-6120 better than Core i5-7360U?
Which one is better for gaming?
Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Games Benchmarks
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.
Path of Exile 2
| Preset | Core i5-7360U | FX-6120 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 84 FPS | 96 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 86 FPS | 94 FPS |
| ultra | 68 FPS | 78 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 68 FPS | 65 FPS |
| medium | 56 FPS | 57 FPS |
| high | 44 FPS | 45 FPS |
| ultra | 34 FPS | 36 FPS |
Counter-Strike 2
| Preset | Core i5-7360U | FX-6120 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 90 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 65 FPS | 96 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 95 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 80 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 73 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 56 FPS | 96 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 67 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 58 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 40 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 28 FPS | 96 FPS |
League of Legends
| Preset | Core i5-7360U | FX-6120 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
Valorant
| Preset | Core i5-7360U | FX-6120 |
|---|---|---|
| 1080p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| 1440p | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| 4K | ||
| low | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| medium | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| high | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
| ultra | 96 FPS | 96 FPS |
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-7360U and FX-6120
Core i5-7360U
Core i5-7360U
The Core i5-7360U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,823 points. Launch price was $304.
FX-6120
FX-6120
The FX-6120 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 October 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Zambezi (2011−2012) architecture. It features 6 cores and 6 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 6 MB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: AM3+. Thermal design power (TDP): 95 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 3,853 points. Launch price was $69.
Processing Power
The Core i5-7360U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the FX-6120 offers 6 cores / 6 threads — the FX-6120 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.6 GHz on the Core i5-7360U versus 4.2 GHz on the FX-6120 — a 15.4% clock advantage for the FX-6120 (base: 2.3 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Core i5-7360U uses the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the FX-6120 uses Zambezi (2011−2012) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-7360U scores 3,823 against the FX-6120's 3,853 — a 0.8% lead for the FX-6120. L3 cache: 4 MB on the Core i5-7360U vs 8 MB (total) on the FX-6120.
| Feature | Core i5-7360U | FX-6120 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 6 / 6+200% |
| Boost Clock | 3.6 GHz | 4.2 GHz+17% |
| Base Clock | 2.3 GHz | 3.6 GHz+57% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB | 8 MB (total)+100% |
| L2 Cache | 512 kB | 6 MB+1100% |
| Process | 14 nm-56% | 32 nm |
| Architecture | Kaby Lake (2016−2019) | Zambezi (2011−2012) |
| PassMark | 3,823 | 3,853 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 1,112 | — |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 2,096 | — |
Memory & Platform
The Core i5-7360U uses the BGA1356 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the FX-6120 uses AM3+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.
| Feature | Core i5-7360U | FX-6120 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | BGA1356 | AM3+ |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0+50% | PCIe 2.0 |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2133 | — |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | — |
| RAM Channels | 2 | — |
| ECC Support | No | — |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | — |
Advanced Features
Virtualization: VT-x, VT-d (Core i5-7360U) / not specified (FX-6120). The Core i5-7360U includes integrated graphics (Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640), while the FX-6120 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-7360U targets Ultrabook.
| Feature | Core i5-7360U | FX-6120 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | — |
| IGPU Model | Intel Iris Plus Graphics 640 | — |
| Unlocked | No | — |
| AVX-512 | No | — |
| Virtualization | VT-x, VT-d | — |
| Target Use | Ultrabook | — |
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