AMD Ryzen 5 1500X vs AMD FX-8120

Comparative analysis of AMD Ryzen 5 1500X and AMD FX-8120 processors for all known characteristics in the following categories: Essentials, Performance, Memory, Compatibility, Peripherals, Advanced Technologies, Virtualization. Benchmark processor performance analysis: PassMark - Single thread mark, PassMark - CPU mark, Geekbench 4 - Single Core, Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core, 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score, CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s), CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s).

AMD Ryzen 5 1500X

AMD FX-8120

Differences

Reasons to consider the AMD Ryzen 5 1500X

CPU is newer: launch date 5 year(s) 6 month(s) later
Around 56% higher maximum core temperature: 95°C vs 61°C
A newer manufacturing process allows for a more powerful, yet cooler running processor: 14 nm vs 32 nm
2x more L3 cache, more data can be stored in the L3 cache for quick access later
Around 92% lower typical power consumption: 65 Watt vs 125 Watt
Around 59% better performance in PassMark - Single thread mark: 2109 vs 1330
Around 96% better performance in PassMark - CPU mark: 9087 vs 4631
Around 89% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Single Core: 906 vs 480
Around 73% better performance in Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core: 3620 vs 2092
Around 54% better performance in 3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score: 3706 vs 2399

Specifications (specs)
Launch date	11 April 2017 vs October 2011
Maximum core temperature	95°C vs 61°C
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm vs 32 nm
L3 cache	16 MB vs 8 MB
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt vs 125 Watt
Benchmarks
PassMark - Single thread mark	2109 vs 1330
PassMark - CPU mark	9087 vs 4631
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	906 vs 480
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3620 vs 2092
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	3706 vs 2399

Reasons to consider the AMD FX-8120

4 more cores, run more applications at once: 8 vs 4
Around 8% higher clock speed: 4 GHz vs 3.7 GHz
4x more L2 cache, more data can be stored in the L2 cache for quick access later

Number of cores	8 vs 4
Maximum frequency	4 GHz vs 3.7 GHz
L2 cache	8 MB vs 2 MB

Compare benchmarks

CPU 1: AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
CPU 2: AMD FX-8120

PassMark - Single thread mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

2109

1330

PassMark - CPU mark

CPU 1

CPU 2

9087

4631

Geekbench 4 - Single Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

906

480

Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core

CPU 1

CPU 2

3620

2092

3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score

CPU 1

CPU 2

3706

2399

Name	AMD Ryzen 5 1500X	AMD FX-8120
PassMark - Single thread mark	2109	1330
PassMark - CPU mark	9087	4631
Geekbench 4 - Single Core	906	480
Geekbench 4 - Multi-Core	3620	2092
3DMark Fire Strike - Physics Score	3706	2399
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Face Detection (mPixels/s)		7.468
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Ocean Surface Simulation (Frames/s)		18
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - T-Rex (Frames/s)		0.38
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Video Composition (Frames/s)		0.898
CompuBench 1.5 Desktop - Bitcoin Mining (mHash/s)		5.613

Compare specifications (specs)

	AMD Ryzen 5 1500X	AMD FX-8120
Essentials
Architecture codename	Zen	Zambezi
Family	AMD Ryzen Processors	AMD FX-Series Processors
Launch date	11 April 2017	October 2011
Launch price (MSRP)	$189
OPN PIB	YD150XBBAEBOX	FD8120FRGUBOX
OPN Tray	YD150XBBM4GAE	FD8120FRW8KGU
OS Support	Windows 10 - 64-Bit Edition, RHEL x86 64-Bit, Ubuntu x86 64-Bit
Place in performance rating	1554	2675
Price now	$139.99	$99.99
Series	AMD Ryzen 5 Desktop Processors	AMD FX 8-Core Black Edition Processors
Value for money (0-100)	21.18	19.43
Vertical segment	Desktop	Desktop
Performance
64 bit support
Base frequency	3.5 GHz	3.1 GHz
Die size	192 mm	315 mm
L1 cache	384 KB	384 KB
L2 cache	2 MB	8 MB
L3 cache	16 MB	8 MB
Manufacturing process technology	14 nm	32 nm
Maximum core temperature	95°C	61°C
Maximum frequency	3.7 GHz	4 GHz
Number of cores	4	8
Number of threads	8	8
Transistor count	4800 Million	1200 million
Unlocked
P0 Vcore voltage		Min: 1.0125 V - Max: 1.4125 V
Memory
Max memory channels	2
Supported memory frequency	2667 MHz
Supported memory types	DDR4
Compatibility
Max number of CPUs in a configuration	1	1
Sockets supported	AM4	AM3+
Thermal Design Power (TDP)	65 Watt	125 Watt
Thermal Solution	Wraith Spire (No LED)
Peripherals
PCI Express revision	3.0 x16	n / a
Advanced Technologies
AMD SenseMI
Enmotus FuzeDrive
Extended Frequency Range (XFR)
Fused Multiply-Add 3 (FMA3)
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions 2 (AVX2)
Intel® AES New Instructions
The "Zen" Core Architecture
Fused Multiply-Add (FMA)
Intel® Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX)
Virtualization
AMD Virtualization (AMD-V™)