Athlon 200GE vs Core i3-7130U

CPU

GPU

Athlon 200GE

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2018

Similar parts

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Core i3-7130U

2 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 2.7 GHz2017

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Athlon 200GE vs Core i3-7130U Performance Spectrum

Athlon 200GE

2 / 4

4,105

+1.2%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i3-7130U

2 / 4

4,055

0.0%

Core i7-940XM

Celeron G4950

Pentium Gold G5400T

Pentium Dual Core T3200

About PassMark

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.

Athlon 200GE vs Core i3-7130U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Athlon 200GE vs Core i3-7130U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon 200GE

2018

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +7.4% higher average FPS across 38 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Stock), unlike Core i3-7130U.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $55 MSRP, while Core i3-7130U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌133.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 15W.

Core i3-7130U

2017

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 35W, a 20W reduction.
✅50% more PCIe lanes (12 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon 200GE across 38 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (4,055 vs 4,105).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 4 MB).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon 200GE.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 200GE better than Core i3-7130U?

Yes. Athlon 200GE is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 7.4% average FPS lead across 38 shared CPU game tests in our data, 1.2% better PassMark, and the stronger long-term platform, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon 200GE is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 7.4% more average FPS across 38 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 200GE is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.2% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).

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

Athlon 200GE is the better buy right now. Athlon 200GE comes in at an unclear MSRP at $55 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 7.4% average FPS lead across 38 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (74.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Athlon 200GE makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2018 vs 2017), 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 2 cores / 4 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon 200GE vs Core i3-7130U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Athlon 200GE

The Athlon 200GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 1 June 2018 (7 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 4,105 points. Launch price was $55.

Core i3-7130U

The Core i3-7130U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 12 June 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake-U (2017) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 2.7 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 4,055 points. Launch price was $281.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon 200GE and Core i3-7130U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Athlon 200GE versus 2.7 GHz on the Core i3-7130U — a 16.9% clock advantage for the Athlon 200GE (base: 3.2 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Athlon 200GE uses the Zen (2017−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i3-7130U uses Kaby Lake-U (2017) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 200GE scores 4,105 against the Core i3-7130U's 4,055 — a 1.2% lead for the Athlon 200GE. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 878 vs 900, a 2.5% lead for the Core i3-7130U that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon 200GE vs 3 MB on the Core i3-7130U.

Feature	Athlon 200GE	Core i3-7130U
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.2 GHz+19%	2.7 GHz
Base Clock	3.2 GHz+19%	2.7 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)+33%	3 MB
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512 kB
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Zen (2017−2020)	Kaby Lake-U (2017)
PassMark	4,105+1%	4,055
Cinebench R23 Multi	302	—
Geekbench 6 Single	878	900+3%
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,838	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon 200GE uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i3-7130U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Athlon 200GE versus DDR4-2133 on the Core i3-7130U — the Athlon 200GE supports 25% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Athlon 200GE supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 100% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (Athlon 200GE) vs 12 (Core i3-7130U) — the Core i3-7130U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Athlon 200GE	Core i3-7130U
Socket	AM4	BGA1356
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666+25%	DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB+100%	32 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	8	12+50%

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Advanced Features

Only the Athlon 200GE has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon 200GE) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-7130U). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon 200GE) and HD Graphics 620 (Core i3-7130U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon 200GE targets Budget, Core i3-7130U targets Mainstream Laptop. Direct competitor: Athlon 200GE rivals Pentium Gold G5400; Core i3-7130U rivals Ryzen 3 3250U.