AMD Athlon 220GE vs Intel Core i3-6320 Comparison

Head-to-Head Benchmarks

The benchmark data delivers an unambiguous verdict: the AMD Athlon 220GE wins every single Cinebench comparison against the Intel Core i3-6320, though the margins are remarkably slim. Across six tests, the Athlon takes all six wins, with Intel failing to secure a single benchmark victory. The largest gap appears in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the Athlon scores 223 against Intel's 222, a delta of 0.5%. In multi-core workloads, the pattern holds: Cinebench R15 shows 379 versus 378 (0.3% delta), Cinebench R20 shows 1580 versus 1576 (0.3% delta), and Cinebench R23 shows 3764 versus 3753 (0.3% delta). The single-core tests in Cinebench R15 are dead even at 53 points apiece, while Cinebench R23 single-core gives the Athlon 531 against 529, a 0.4% edge.

These margins are tiny, but they are consistent across every workload. The data does not show a single test where Intel pulls ahead, even by a point. That consistency matters more than the absolute deltas. A 0.3% lead in one test could be noise, but a 0.3% lead in three separate multi-core tests, plus a 0.5% lead in single-core, suggests a real, if small, systematic advantage for the AMD part.

The overall average benchmark scores corroborate this picture. The Athlon 220GE averages 1088 points, while the Core i3-6320 averages 1085. That places the Athlon 0.3% ahead in aggregate performance. Both CPUs sit at the 30th percentile among all CPUs, meaning they occupy the same performance tier globally. Their nearest rival lists overlap: both are within 0.3% of the Intel Core i5-3350P, which scores 1088. The Athlon also sits 0.2% above the Intel Core i5-2450P (1086) and 0.3% above the i3-6320 itself, while trailing the Pentium Gold G5400 (1091) by 0.3%. The Intel part, for its part, sits 0.1% below the i5-2450P and 0.2% below the i5-3350P, while edging out the Core i5-2320 and Core i5-3335S by 0.2% each.

The Verdict

The verdict is straightforward: the AMD Athlon 220GE is the faster processor in this head-to-head, but only by a hair. Benchmark results indicate the Athlon wins all six compared tests, with deltas ranging from 0% to 0.5%. Any user choosing between these two should pick the Athlon if pure Cinebench performance is the sole criterion. The data shows no scenario in which the Core i3-6320 outperforms the Athlon 220GE in the measured workloads.

That said, the practical difference is negligible. A 0.3% average performance gap is imperceptible in real-world use. The Athlon's edge is statistically real but practically irrelevant. The more meaningful differentiators lie elsewhere: the Athlon consumes 35W TDP versus Intel's 51W TDP, and it carries Radeon Vega 3 integrated graphics against Intel HD 530. The Athlon also uses the AMD Socket AM4 platform, while the Intel part uses Socket 1151. Neither processor has an unlocked multiplier, and both support DDR4 memory.

For a user building a new system today, the Athlon 220GE's active production status and lower TDP make it the more sensible choice. The i3-6320, while still marked active, launched in 2015 and carries a higher power draw. The data cannot speak to price or availability, but on performance and power efficiency alone, the Athlon is the winner.

Architecture Differences

The two processors come from different architectural lineages. The AMD Athlon 220GE is built on the Zen architecture, specifically the Raven Ridge generation, using a 14 nm process node from GlobalFoundries. It integrates 4,950 million transistors on a die size of 209.8 mm². The Core i3-6320, in contrast, uses Intel's Skylake architecture, also on a 14 nm node but fabricated by Intel itself. Intel's chip packs only 1,400 million transistors on a 150 mm² die. That transistor count difference is enormous — the AMD chip has over three-and-a-half times more transistors — yet the performance outcome is nearly identical. This reflects the fundamental design differences: Raven Ridge integrates a Radeon Vega 3 GPU, which accounts for much of the extra silicon, while Skylake keeps the GPU separate.

Cache hierarchies also differ. The Athlon provides 96 KB of L1 cache per core and 512 KB of L2 per core, with 4 MB of shared L3. The Intel part offers 64 KB of L1 per core and 256 KB of L2 per core, also with 4 MB of shared L3. So the AMD chip has 50% more L1 and double the L2 per core, with equal L3. Despite this cache advantage, the Intel chip's higher base clock of 3.90 GHz (versus 3.40 GHz on the Athlon) compensates, keeping performance nearly level.

Neither chip supports ECC memory, and both are locked (multiplier not unlocked). The Athlon's PCIe implementation provides Gen 3 with 8 lanes from the CPU, while the Intel part offers Gen 3 with 16 lanes. This gives Intel a potential advantage for discrete GPUs or other PCIe devices, though the benchmark data does not measure this.

Specification Differences

The specification table reveals several clear differences between the two processors. Clock speed is the most obvious: the Intel Core i3-6320 runs at 3.90 GHz base, while the AMD Athlon 220GE runs at 3.40 GHz. Neither has a boost clock. TDP favors AMD, with the Athlon drawing 35W versus 51W for the Intel part. This 16W difference makes the Athlon significantly more power-efficient per unit of performance.

Memory bandwidth also differs. The Athlon supports 42.7 GB/s of memory bandwidth, while the Intel part supports 34.1 GB/s. Both use dual-channel DDR4. The Athlon's higher bandwidth likely contributes to its slight edge in multi-core tests.

Integrated graphics differentiate the two: the Athlon carries Radeon Vega 3, while the Intel part has Intel HD 530. The benchmark data does not compare iGPU performance, so no verdict can be drawn there. Socket support differs entirely — AMD Socket AM4 for the Athlon, Intel Socket 1151 for the i3-6320. Release dates are far apart: the Athlon launched in December 2018, while the Intel part launched in August 2015. The Athlon has a launch MSRP of $65; no MSRP is listed for the Intel part.

Other differences include transistor count (4,950 million versus 1,400 million), die size (209.8 mm² versus 150 mm²), and L1/L2 cache per core (96 KB/512 KB versus 64 KB/256 KB). The part numbers are YD220GC6M2OFB for AMD and SR2H9 for Intel.

FAQ

Q: Which processor is faster in multi-core Cinebench tests?

A: The AMD Athlon 220GE wins all three multi-core tests. It scores 379 versus 378 in Cinebench R15, 1580 versus 1576 in R20, and 3764 versus 3753 in R23, each a 0.3% margin.

Q: Is the Intel Core i3-6320 better at single-core workloads?

A: No. The Intel part does not win any single-core test. It ties at 53 in Cinebench R15, and loses 223-to-222 in R20 (0.5% delta) and 531-to-529 in R23 (0.4% delta).

Q: How do these CPUs compare to other processors in the database?

A: Both sit at the 30th percentile among all CPUs. The Athlon averages 1088, matching the Intel Core i5-3350P exactly (0% delta) and edging the i3-6320 by 0.3%. The i3-6320 averages 1085, trailing the i5-3350P by 0.2%.

Q: Which processor has lower power consumption?

A: The AMD Athlon 220GE has a 35W TDP, while the Intel Core i3-6320 has a 51W TDP. The Athlon draws 16W less under its rated thermal design power.

Q: Do both processors support ECC memory?

A: No. Both the AMD Athlon 220GE and the Intel Core i3-6320 have ECC memory support listed as false.

Q: What is the difference in memory bandwidth?

A: The Athlon 220GE supports 42.7 GB/s of memory bandwidth, while the Core i3-6320 supports 34.1 GB/s. Both use dual-channel DDR4.

Where Each One Wins

The AMD Athlon 220GE wins every measured benchmark, so its territory is clear: all Cinebench workloads, both single-core and multi-core, across R15, R20, and R23. The largest advantage comes in Cinebench R20 single-core, where the Athlon leads by 0.5%. This suggests AMD's Zen architecture, combined with higher memory bandwidth (42.7 GB/s versus 34.1 GB/s) and larger per-core caches, gives it a slight edge in lightly threaded and heavily threaded tasks alike. The Athlon also wins on power efficiency, consuming 35W versus 51W — a 31% reduction in TDP — which makes it the better choice for compact or low-power builds on the AM4 platform.

The Intel Core i3-6320 has no benchmark wins to claim. Its strengths lie outside the measured Cinebench data. It offers more PCIe lanes (16 versus 8), which could benefit systems with multiple expansion cards or high-bandwidth peripherals. Its higher base clock of 3.90 GHz, despite losing in all tests, keeps it competitive. The Intel part also uses the Socket 1151 platform, which may appeal to users with existing Intel motherboards, though the data does not measure platform ecosystem. In a direct performance comparison, the i3-6320 cannot claim a single victory. Users should choose it only if they have a specific reason to prefer the Intel platform or require the extra PCIe lanes — the benchmark data offers no other justification.