Core i5-8365UE vs FX-8320

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 i5-8365UE

2019

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 125W, a 110W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than FX-8320 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,435 vs 5,472).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 18.3 vs 32.4 PassMark/$ ($297 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike FX-8320.

FX-8320

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $128 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $297 MSRP).
✅Delivers 76.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 32.4 vs 18.3 PassMark/$ ($169 MSRP vs $297 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-8365UE.

Trade-offs

❌733.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 15W.

Core i5-8365UE

2019

FX-8320

2012

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 125W, a 110W reduction.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.6% higher average FPS across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Costs $128 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $297 MSRP).
✅Delivers 76.9% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 32.4 vs 18.3 PassMark/$ ($169 MSRP vs $297 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Core i5-8365UE.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than FX-8320 across 4 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,435 vs 5,472).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 18.3 vs 32.4 PassMark/$ ($297 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike FX-8320.

Trade-offs

❌733.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is FX-8320 better than Core i5-8365UE?

Yes. FX-8320 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 14.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.7% better PassMark, which makes it the stronger all-around choice.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, FX-8320 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 14.6% 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, FX-8320 is the better fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads.

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

FX-8320 is the smarter buy today. FX-8320 is $128 cheaper on MSRP at $169 MSRP versus $297 MSRP, and it gives you a 14.6% average FPS lead across 4 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 76.9% better value on MSRP (32.4 vs 18.3 PassMark/$), so the better CPU is not just faster, it is also the cleaner value play on paper.

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

Core i5-8365UE is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2012). That makes it the safer long-term pick.

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 i5-8365UE Benchmark Check

FX-8320 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i5-8365UE	FX-8320
1080p
low	136 FPS	137 FPS
medium	134 FPS	137 FPS
high	108 FPS	118 FPS
ultra	84 FPS	98 FPS
1440p
low	136 FPS	137 FPS
medium	111 FPS	120 FPS
high	88 FPS	95 FPS
ultra	68 FPS	77 FPS
4K
low	65 FPS	65 FPS
medium	55 FPS	58 FPS
high	43 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	34 FPS	36 FPS

Open Core i5-8365UE Open FX-8320

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i5-8365UE	FX-8320
1080p
low	125 FPS	137 FPS
medium	110 FPS	137 FPS
high	103 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	88 FPS	137 FPS
1440p
low	112 FPS	137 FPS
medium	98 FPS	137 FPS
high	92 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	80 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	88 FPS	137 FPS
medium	79 FPS	137 FPS
high	68 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	57 FPS	120 FPS

Open Core i5-8365UE Open FX-8320

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i5-8365UE	FX-8320
1080p
low	136 FPS	137 FPS
medium	136 FPS	137 FPS
high	136 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	137 FPS
1440p
low	136 FPS	137 FPS
medium	136 FPS	137 FPS
high	136 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	136 FPS	137 FPS
medium	136 FPS	137 FPS
high	136 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	137 FPS

Open Core i5-8365UE Open FX-8320

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i5-8365UE	FX-8320
1080p
low	136 FPS	137 FPS
medium	136 FPS	137 FPS
high	136 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	137 FPS
1440p
low	136 FPS	137 FPS
medium	136 FPS	137 FPS
high	136 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	137 FPS
4K
low	136 FPS	137 FPS
medium	136 FPS	137 FPS
high	136 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	136 FPS	137 FPS

Open Core i5-8365UE Open FX-8320

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i5-8365UE and FX-8320

Core i5-8365UE

The Core i5-8365UE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 16 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 1.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.1 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1528. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 5,435 points. Launch price was $297.

FX-8320

The FX-8320 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 23 October 2012 (13 years ago). It is based on the Vishera (2012−2015) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L2 cache: 8192 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: AM3+. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 5,472 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i5-8365UE packs 4 cores / 8 threads, while the FX-8320 offers 8 cores / 8 threads — the FX-8320 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4.1 GHz on the Core i5-8365UE versus 4 GHz on the FX-8320 — a 2.5% clock advantage for the Core i5-8365UE (base: 1.6 GHz vs 3.5 GHz). The Core i5-8365UE uses the Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019) architecture (14 nm), while the FX-8320 uses Vishera (2012−2015) (32 nm). In PassMark, the Core i5-8365UE scores 5,435 against the FX-8320's 5,472 — a 0.7% lead for the FX-8320.

Feature	Core i5-8365UE	FX-8320
Cores / Threads	4 / 8	8 / 8+100%
Boost Clock	4.1 GHz+2%	4 GHz
Base Clock	1.6 GHz	3.5 GHz+119%
L3 Cache	6 MB (total)	—
L2 Cache	256 kB (per core)	8192 kB+3100%
Process	14 nm-56%	32 nm
Architecture	Whiskey Lake-U (2018−2019)	Vishera (2012−2015)
PassMark	5,435	5,472
Cinebench R23 Multi	—	4,500
Geekbench 6 Single	—	458
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,791

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i5-8365UE uses the FCBGA1528 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the FX-8320 uses AM3+ (PCIe 2.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i5-8365UE	FX-8320
Socket	FCBGA1528	AM3+
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0+50%	PCIe 2.0
Max RAM Speed	—	DDR3-1866
Max RAM Capacity	—	32 GB
RAM Channels	—	2
ECC Support	—	No
PCIe Lanes	—	16

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Core i5-8365UE) / AMD-V (FX-8320). Primary use case: FX-8320 targets Productivity. Direct competitor: FX-8320 rivals Core i5-3570.

Feature	Core i5-8365UE	FX-8320
Integrated GPU	—	No
Unlocked	—	Yes
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	AMD-V
Target Use	—	Productivity

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i5-8365UE launched at $297 MSRP, while the FX-8320 debuted at $169. On MSRP ($297 vs $169), the FX-8320 is $128 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i5-8365UE delivers 18.3 pts/$ vs 32.4 pts/$ for the FX-8320 — making the FX-8320 the 55.6% better value option.