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.

FX-8320

2012

Why buy it

✅Costs $160 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 3700X.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,472 vs 22,430).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.4 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($169 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +113.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 110.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 32.4 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌
94.7% HIGHER MSRP
$329 MSRPvs$169 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike FX-8320.

FX-8320

2012

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅Costs $160 less on MSRP ($169 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Yes), unlike Ryzen 7 3700X.

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +113.8% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Delivers 110.6% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.2 vs 32.4 PassMark/$ ($329 MSRP vs $169 MSRP).
✅Draws 65W instead of 125W, a 60W reduction.
✅50% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 16) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (5,472 vs 22,430).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 32.4 vs 68.2 PassMark/$ ($169 MSRP vs $329 MSRP).
❌92.3% higher power demand at 125W vs 65W.

Trade-offs

❌
94.7% HIGHER MSRP
$329 MSRPvs$169 MSRP
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike FX-8320.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than FX-8320?

Yes. Ryzen 7 3700X is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 113.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 309.9% 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, Ryzen 7 3700X is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 113.8% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Ryzen 7 3700X is the better fit. You are getting 309.9% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads.

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

Ryzen 7 3700X is the smarter buy today. Ryzen 7 3700X is 94.7% more expensive on MSRP at $329 MSRP versus $169 MSRP, and it gives you a 113.8% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 110.6% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 32.4 PassMark/$), 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?

Ryzen 7 3700X is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2012) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 8/8. That extra compute headroom should age better as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

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.

FX-8320 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 7 3700X Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	FX-8320	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	137 FPS	200 FPS
medium	137 FPS	163 FPS
high	118 FPS	137 FPS
ultra	98 FPS	110 FPS
1440p
low	137 FPS	156 FPS
medium	120 FPS	121 FPS
high	95 FPS	100 FPS
ultra	77 FPS	80 FPS
4K
low	65 FPS	84 FPS
medium	58 FPS	71 FPS
high	45 FPS	56 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	44 FPS

Open FX-8320 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	FX-8320	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	137 FPS	561 FPS
medium	137 FPS	525 FPS
high	137 FPS	428 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	383 FPS
1440p
low	137 FPS	545 FPS
medium	137 FPS	471 FPS
high	137 FPS	394 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	337 FPS
4K
low	137 FPS	350 FPS
medium	137 FPS	304 FPS
high	137 FPS	274 FPS
ultra	120 FPS	242 FPS

Open FX-8320 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	FX-8320	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	137 FPS	561 FPS
medium	137 FPS	561 FPS
high	137 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	561 FPS
1440p
low	137 FPS	561 FPS
medium	137 FPS	561 FPS
high	137 FPS	538 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	470 FPS
4K
low	137 FPS	499 FPS
medium	137 FPS	394 FPS
high	137 FPS	343 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	275 FPS

Open FX-8320 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	FX-8320	Ryzen 7 3700X
1080p
low	137 FPS	561 FPS
medium	137 FPS	561 FPS
high	137 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	561 FPS
1440p
low	137 FPS	561 FPS
medium	137 FPS	561 FPS
high	137 FPS	561 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	555 FPS
4K
low	137 FPS	561 FPS
medium	137 FPS	501 FPS
high	137 FPS	447 FPS
ultra	137 FPS	396 FPS

Open FX-8320 Open Ryzen 7 3700X

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of FX-8320 and Ryzen 7 3700X

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.

Ryzen 7 3700X

The Ryzen 7 3700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 22,430 points. Launch price was $329.

⚡

Processing Power

The FX-8320 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, matching the Ryzen 7 3700X's 8 cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the FX-8320 versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X — a 9.5% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 3700X (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The FX-8320 uses the Vishera (2012−2015) architecture (32 nm), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the FX-8320 scores 5,472 against the Ryzen 7 3700X's 22,430 — a 121.6% lead for the Ryzen 7 3700X.

Feature	FX-8320	Ryzen 7 3700X
Cores / Threads	8 / 8	8 / 16
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.4 GHz+10%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz	3.6 GHz+3%
L3 Cache	—	32 MB
L2 Cache	8192 kB+1500%	512K (per core)
Process	32 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-78%
Architecture	Vishera (2012−2015)	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark	5,472	22,430+310%
Cinebench R23 Multi	4,500	—
Geekbench 6 Single	458	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,791	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The FX-8320 uses the AM3+ socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR3-1866 on the FX-8320 versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 3700X — the Ryzen 7 3700X supports 28.6% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 3700X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (FX-8320) vs 24 (Ryzen 7 3700X) — the Ryzen 7 3700X offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: 970,990X,990FX (FX-8320) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 3700X).

Feature	FX-8320	Ryzen 7 3700X
Socket	AM3+	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 4.0+100%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1866	DDR4-3200+33%
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	128 GB+300%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	16	24+50%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (FX-8320) / not specified (Ryzen 7 3700X). Primary use case: FX-8320 targets Productivity. Direct competitor: FX-8320 rivals Core i5-3570.

Feature	FX-8320	Ryzen 7 3700X
Integrated GPU	No	No
Unlocked	Yes	—
AVX-512	No	—
Virtualization	AMD-V	—
Target Use	Productivity	—

💰

Value Analysis

The FX-8320 launched at $169 MSRP, while the Ryzen 7 3700X debuted at $329. On MSRP ($169 vs $329), the FX-8320 is $160 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the FX-8320 delivers 32.4 pts/$ vs 68.2 pts/$ for the Ryzen 7 3700X — making the Ryzen 7 3700X the 71.2% better value option.