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 i7-7800X

2017

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅+106.3% larger total L3 cache (8.3 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 33.8 vs 36.6 PassMark/$ ($383 MSRP vs $350 MSRP).
❌400% higher power demand at 140W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen AI 5 330 moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Ryzen AI 5 330

2025

Why buy it

✅Costs $33 less on MSRP ($350 MSRP vs $383 MSRP).
✅Delivers 8.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 36.6 vs 33.8 PassMark/$ ($350 MSRP vs $383 MSRP).
✅Draws 28W instead of 140W, a 112W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (12,794 vs 12,963).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8.3 MB).

Core i7-7800X

2017

Ryzen AI 5 330

2025

Why buy it

✅+1.3% higher PassMark.
✅+106.3% larger total L3 cache (8.3 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (28 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Why buy it

✅Costs $33 less on MSRP ($350 MSRP vs $383 MSRP).
✅Delivers 8.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 36.6 vs 33.8 PassMark/$ ($350 MSRP vs $383 MSRP).
✅Draws 28W instead of 140W, a 112W reduction.
✅Newer platform on FP8 with DDR5 support instead of LGA2066 and DDR4.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 33.8 vs 36.6 PassMark/$ ($383 MSRP vs $350 MSRP).
❌400% higher power demand at 140W vs 28W.
❌Older platform position on LGA2066 with DDR4, while Ryzen AI 5 330 moves to FP8 and DDR5.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (12,794 vs 12,963).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8.3 MB).

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen AI 5 330 better than Core i7-7800X?

It depends on what matters more to you. For gaming, Ryzen AI 5 330 is ahead with a 1.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-7800X pulls ahead with 1.3% better PassMark. Core i7-7800X also has the bigger cache pool with 106.3% larger total L3 cache (8.3 MB vs 4 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-7800X is the better fit. You are getting 1.3% better PassMark, backed by 6 cores and 12 threads. It also carries the larger cache pool with 106.3% larger total L3 cache (8.3 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Ryzen AI 5 330 is the smarter buy today. Ryzen AI 5 330 is $33 cheaper on MSRP at $350 MSRP versus $383 MSRP, and it gives you a 1.7% average FPS lead across 2 shared CPU game tests in our data. The trade-off is that Core i7-7800X is still stronger for heavier multi-core work with 1.3% better PassMark. It is also 8.0% better value on MSRP (36.6 vs 33.8 PassMark/$), 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 AI 5 330 is the more future-proof choice for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2025 vs 2017) and a healthier platform with FP8 and DDR5 instead of LGA2066. 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.

Core i7-7800X Benchmark Check

Ryzen AI 5 330 Benchmark Check

Path of Exile 2

Preset	Core i7-7800X	Ryzen AI 5 330
1080p
low	182 FPS	169 FPS
medium	143 FPS	136 FPS
high	114 FPS	110 FPS
ultra	91 FPS	88 FPS
1440p
low	151 FPS	142 FPS
medium	117 FPS	113 FPS
high	92 FPS	91 FPS
ultra	73 FPS	74 FPS
4K
low	70 FPS	79 FPS
medium	58 FPS	67 FPS
high	46 FPS	53 FPS
ultra	36 FPS	42 FPS

Open Core i7-7800X Open Ryzen AI 5 330

Path of Exile 2

Path of Exile 2

Counter-Strike 2

Preset	Core i7-7800X	Ryzen AI 5 330
1080p
low	236 FPS	168 FPS
medium	199 FPS	142 FPS
high	179 FPS	128 FPS
ultra	142 FPS	111 FPS
1440p
low	208 FPS	142 FPS
medium	175 FPS	122 FPS
high	158 FPS	114 FPS
ultra	130 FPS	97 FPS
4K
low	180 FPS	101 FPS
medium	156 FPS	90 FPS
high	137 FPS	77 FPS
ultra	106 FPS	65 FPS

Open Core i7-7800X Open Ryzen AI 5 330

Counter-Strike 2

Counter-Strike 2

League of Legends

Preset	Core i7-7800X	Ryzen AI 5 330
1080p
low	324 FPS	320 FPS
medium	324 FPS	320 FPS
high	324 FPS	320 FPS
ultra	324 FPS	320 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	320 FPS
medium	324 FPS	320 FPS
high	324 FPS	320 FPS
ultra	324 FPS	320 FPS
4K
low	324 FPS	320 FPS
medium	324 FPS	320 FPS
high	310 FPS	286 FPS
ultra	246 FPS	226 FPS

Open Core i7-7800X Open Ryzen AI 5 330

League of Legends

League of Legends

Valorant

Preset	Core i7-7800X	Ryzen AI 5 330
1080p
low	324 FPS	320 FPS
medium	324 FPS	320 FPS
high	324 FPS	320 FPS
ultra	324 FPS	320 FPS
1440p
low	324 FPS	320 FPS
medium	324 FPS	320 FPS
high	324 FPS	320 FPS
ultra	324 FPS	320 FPS
4K
low	324 FPS	320 FPS
medium	324 FPS	320 FPS
high	324 FPS	320 FPS
ultra	324 FPS	320 FPS

Open Core i7-7800X Open Ryzen AI 5 330

Valorant

Valorant

Check FPS for your specific build

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Core i7-7800X and Ryzen AI 5 330

Core i7-7800X

The Core i7-7800X is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 26 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8.25 MB (total). L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA2066. Thermal design power (TDP): 140 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 12,963 points. Launch price was $383.

Ryzen AI 5 330

The Ryzen AI 5 330 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 16 July 2025 (less than a year ago). It is based on the Krackan Point 2 (2025) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2 GHz, with boost up to 4.5 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB (per core). Built on 4 nm process technology. Socket: FP8. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR5, LPDDR5X. Passmark benchmark score: 12,794 points. Launch price was $149.

⚡

Processing Power

The Core i7-7800X packs 6 cores / 12 threads, while the Ryzen AI 5 330 offers 4 cores / 8 threads — the Core i7-7800X has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Core i7-7800X versus 4.5 GHz on the Ryzen AI 5 330 — a 11.8% clock advantage for the Ryzen AI 5 330 (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2 GHz). The Core i7-7800X uses the Skylake (server) (2017−2018) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen AI 5 330 uses Krackan Point 2 (2025) (4 nm). In PassMark, the Core i7-7800X scores 12,963 against the Ryzen AI 5 330's 12,794 — a 1.3% lead for the Core i7-7800X. L3 cache: 8.25 MB (total) on the Core i7-7800X vs 4 MB on the Ryzen AI 5 330.

Feature	Core i7-7800X	Ryzen AI 5 330
Cores / Threads	6 / 12+50%	4 / 8
Boost Clock	4 GHz	4.5 GHz+13%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+75%	2 GHz
L3 Cache	8.25 MB (total)+106%	4 MB
L2 Cache	1 MB (per core)	1 MB (per core)
Process	14 nm	4 nm-71%
Architecture	Skylake (server) (2017−2018)	Krackan Point 2 (2025)
PassMark	12,963+1%	12,794
Cinebench R23 Multi	6,897	—
Geekbench 6 Single	1,114	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	6,951	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Core i7-7800X uses the LGA2066 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen AI 5 330 uses FP8 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Core i7-7800X	Ryzen AI 5 330
Socket	LGA2066	FP8
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	—
Max RAM Capacity	128 GB	—
RAM Channels	4	—
ECC Support	No	—
PCIe Lanes	28	—

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: Yes (Core i7-7800X) / not specified (Ryzen AI 5 330).

Feature	Core i7-7800X	Ryzen AI 5 330
Integrated GPU	No	—
AVX-512	Yes	—
Virtualization	Yes	—

💰

Value Analysis

The Core i7-7800X launched at $383 MSRP, while the Ryzen AI 5 330 debuted at $350. On MSRP ($383 vs $350), the Ryzen AI 5 330 is $33 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Core i7-7800X delivers 33.8 pts/$ vs 36.6 pts/$ for the Ryzen AI 5 330 — making the Ryzen AI 5 330 the 7.7% better value option.