CPU Comparison
AMD Athlon Gold 7220C vs AMD Ryzen 5 7520C
A side-by-side comparison of specs, performance and value. The AMD Athlon Gold 7220C is a 15 W, 2-core/4-thread mobile SoC for entry-level Chromebooks, based on AMD’s Mendocino (Zen 2) architecture on TSMC’s 6 nm process with integrated Radeon 610M RDNA 2 graphics and LPDDR5-5500 memory support.
The Bottom Line
Overview & Launch
Specifications Compared
Performance Compared
Productivity
Gaming
Virtualization
Efficiency
Specialized Performance
AI / ML
- No dedicated NPU; AI workloads rely on CPU/iGPU.
- Suitable only for very light on-device inference tasks.
- No dedicated AI accelerator; inference relies on CPU/iGPU
- Fine for on‑device Chrome OS AI features, not for heavy ML workloads
Content Creation
Gaming
- Radeon 610M with 2 RDNA 2 CUs is entry-level and best suited for older or well-optimized titles.
- Expect playable frame rates only at 1080p Low or 720p for esports games like CS2 or Valorant.
- Not intended for AAA gaming or high-refresh-rate gaming.
- Radeon 610M with only 2 CUs limits gaming potential
- Suitable for 2D, e‑sports, and older titles at low settings
- Not aimed at AAA gaming or high refresh rate gameplay
Industry Impact
Best CPU by Use Case
Target Audience
Strengths & Weaknesses
Pros
- Modern 6 nm process with good power efficiency
- Zen 2 CPU cores offer solid single-thread performance for the segment
- RDNA 2 iGPU with AV1 decode for smooth video playback
- LPDDR5-5500 provides more memory bandwidth than typical budget Chromebook SoCs
- Low 15 W TDP enables fanless designs and long battery life
Cons
- Only two CPU cores; limited multi-thread headroom
- Radeon 610M iGPU is very weak for gaming or GPU-heavy tasks
- Only 4 PCIe 3.0 lanes from the CPU
- Max memory officially capped at 16 GB
- No unlock multiplier; not an enthusiast part
Pros
- 4 cores / 8 threads at 15 W, a clear upgrade over dual‑core Chromebook SoCs
- High boost up to 4.3 GHz for snappy Chrome OS responsiveness
- RDNA 2 Radeon 610M with modern feature set and hardware video decode
- 6 nm process and 15 W TDP enable fanless designs and long battery life
- Dual‑channel LPDDR5‑5500 improves both CPU and iGPU performance
Cons
- Only 4 PCIe 3.0 lanes; NVMe speed and expandability are limited
- Radeon 610M has just 2 CUs, restricting gaming and GPU compute potential
- Max memory officially limited to 16 GB, typical of budget Chromebooks
- No unlocked multiplier; no overclocking support
- Zen 2 CPU architecture is several generations old behind Zen 4/Zen 5
Competitors & Alternatives
AMD Athlon Gold 7220C
- Intel Processor N100Rival
Entry-Level Chromebook / Laptop
- Intel Core i3-N305Rival
Mid-Range Chromebook
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2Rival
Entry-Level Chromebook (ARM)
- MediaTek Kompanio 520Rival
Entry-Level Chromebook (ARM)
- AMD Athlon Silver 7120CRival
Entry-Level Chromebook (AMD)
- AMD Ryzen 3 7320CAlt
Same platform with four Zen 2 cores and eight threads for significantly better multi-thread performance if you need more headroom.
AMD Ryzen 5 7520C
- Intel Core i3‑N305Rival
Chromebook / Entry-Level Laptop
- AMD Ryzen 3 7320CRival
Chromebook
- AMD Ryzen 5 5625CRival
Chromebook (Barcelo‑R)
- Intel Core i3‑1315U (in Chromebooks)Rival
Chromebook / Mainstream Laptop
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2Rival
Chromebook (ARM)
- Intel Core i3‑N305 ChromebookAlt
Strong multi‑core performance and good efficiency; better if you prefer Intel or need more E‑cores.
- AMD Ryzen 5 5625C ChromebookAlt
Older but with more L3 cache and stronger CPU performance if you need more headroom for heavier apps.
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 ChromebookAlt
Always‑connected ARM‑based alternative if you value LTE/5G and all‑day battery over x86 compatibility.
- Older Ryzen 5 4500U/5500U ChromebooksAlt
Used or discounted models may offer more cores and cache if you can tolerate DDR4 and lower efficiency.
Our Verdict on Each
A modest but modern SoC that brings Zen 2 CPU and RDNA 2 iGPU to budget Chromebooks, offering good efficiency and decent responsiveness for light workloads, but limited by its dual-core design and weak GPU for heavier tasks.
Best for: Budget Chromebook for web-based productivity and media consumption
Read the full reviewA solid step up from older dual‑core Chromebook chips, with competitive CPU performance and modern RDNA 2 graphics, but limited by a small GPU and no upgrade path beyond typical Chromebook constraints.
Best for: Buying a Chromebook Plus or mainstream Chromebook where you want better CPU and iGPU performance than older Intel or AMD dual‑core designs, without sacrificing battery life.
Read the full reviewFrequently Asked Questions
Which is better, AMD Athlon Gold 7220C or AMD Ryzen 5 7520C?
Based on our editorial ratings, the AMD Ryzen 5 7520C comes out ahead with a score of 7.2/10. That said, the best choice depends on your workload — check the spec and performance breakdown above for gaming, productivity and efficiency differences.
Which is faster for gaming, AMD Athlon Gold 7220C or AMD Ryzen 5 7520C?
For gaming, the AMD Ryzen 5 7520C leads with a gaming performance score of 50/100 among AMD Athlon Gold 7220C and AMD Ryzen 5 7520C.
Do AMD Athlon Gold 7220C and AMD Ryzen 5 7520C use the same socket?
Yes — all of these CPUs use the FT6 socket, so they share compatible motherboards.
Which has more cores?
The AMD Ryzen 5 7520C has the most cores. Core counts: AMD Athlon Gold 7220C (2 cores), AMD Ryzen 5 7520C (4 cores).