FX-8120 vs Ryzen 5 3450U

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-8120

2011

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $205 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 3450U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌6150% higher power demand at 125W vs 2W.

Ryzen 5 3450U

2020

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 125W, a 123W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than FX-8120 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,550 vs 6,594).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

FX-8120

2011

Ryzen 5 3450U

2020

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +6.3% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Why buy it

✅Draws 2W instead of 125W, a 123W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $205 MSRP, while Ryzen 5 3450U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌6150% higher power demand at 125W vs 2W.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than FX-8120 across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,550 vs 6,594).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is FX-8120 better than Ryzen 5 3450U?

Yes. FX-8120 is the better overall CPU here. You are getting a 6.3% average FPS lead across 50 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-8120 is the better pick here. According to our tests, it delivers 6.3% 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, FX-8120 is the better fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 8 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

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

FX-8120 is the smarter buy today. FX-8120 is at an unclear MSRP at $205 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it gives you a 6.3% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (32.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), 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 5 3450U is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2011). 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.

FX-8120 Benchmark Check

Ryzen 5 3450U Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	FX-8120	Ryzen 5 3450U
1080p
low	165 FPS	164 FPS
medium	142 FPS	139 FPS
high	115 FPS	109 FPS
ultra	95 FPS	86 FPS
1440p
low	138 FPS	142 FPS
medium	117 FPS	112 FPS
high	92 FPS	87 FPS
ultra	75 FPS	69 FPS
4K
low	63 FPS	68 FPS
medium	57 FPS	57 FPS
high	45 FPS	45 FPS
ultra	35 FPS	35 FPS

Open FX-8120 Open Ryzen 5 3450U

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	FX-8120	Ryzen 5 3450U
1080p
low	165 FPS	106 FPS
medium	165 FPS	92 FPS
high	165 FPS	85 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	66 FPS
1440p
low	165 FPS	92 FPS
medium	165 FPS	80 FPS
high	165 FPS	74 FPS
ultra	152 FPS	60 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	69 FPS
medium	161 FPS	62 FPS
high	147 FPS	50 FPS
ultra	118 FPS	37 FPS

Open FX-8120 Open Ryzen 5 3450U

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	FX-8120	Ryzen 5 3450U
1080p
low	165 FPS	164 FPS
medium	165 FPS	164 FPS
high	165 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	164 FPS
1440p
low	165 FPS	164 FPS
medium	165 FPS	164 FPS
high	165 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	164 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	164 FPS
medium	165 FPS	164 FPS
high	165 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	164 FPS

Open FX-8120 Open Ryzen 5 3450U

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	FX-8120	Ryzen 5 3450U
1080p
low	165 FPS	164 FPS
medium	165 FPS	164 FPS
high	165 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	164 FPS
1440p
low	165 FPS	164 FPS
medium	165 FPS	164 FPS
high	165 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	164 FPS
4K
low	165 FPS	164 FPS
medium	165 FPS	164 FPS
high	165 FPS	164 FPS
ultra	165 FPS	164 FPS

Open FX-8120 Open Ryzen 5 3450U

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of FX-8120 and Ryzen 5 3450U

FX-8120

The FX-8120 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 12 October 2011 (14 years ago). It is based on the Zambezi (2011−2012) architecture. It features 8 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.1 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8192 kB. L2 cache: 8192 kB. Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: AM3+. Thermal design power (TDP): 125 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,594 points. Launch price was $149.

Ryzen 5 3450U

The Ryzen 5 3450U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 May 2020 (5 years ago). It is based on the Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.1 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 2 MB. Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 2 MB + 4 MB. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 6,550 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The FX-8120 packs 8 cores / 8 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3450U offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the FX-8120 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the FX-8120 versus 3.5 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3450U — a 13.3% clock advantage for the FX-8120 (base: 3.1 GHz vs 2.1 GHz). The FX-8120 uses the Zambezi (2011−2012) architecture (32 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3450U uses Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020) (12 nm). In PassMark, the FX-8120 scores 6,594 against the Ryzen 5 3450U's 6,550 — a 0.7% lead for the FX-8120. L3 cache: 8192 kB on the FX-8120 vs 4 MB on the Ryzen 5 3450U.

Feature	FX-8120	Ryzen 5 3450U
Cores / Threads	8 / 8+100%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4 GHz+14%	3.5 GHz
Base Clock	3.1 GHz+48%	2.1 GHz
L3 Cache	8192 kB+100%	4 MB
L2 Cache	8192 kB+300%	2 MB
Process	32 nm	12 nm-63%
Architecture	Zambezi (2011−2012)	Picasso-U (Zen+) (2019−2020)
PassMark	6,594	6,550