Athlon 220GE vs Core i3-7101E

CPU

GPU

Athlon 220GE

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2018

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Core i3-7101E

2 Cores4 Thrd54 WWMax: 3.9 GHz2017

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Athlon 220GE vs Core i3-7101E Performance Spectrum

Athlon 220GE

2 / 4

4,441

+0.2%

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Core i3-7101E

2 / 4

4,430

0.0%

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 220GE vs Core i3-7101E 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 220GE vs Core i3-7101E: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon 220GE

2018

Why buy it

✅+0.2% higher PassMark.
✅+33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).
✅Costs $52 less on MSRP ($65 MSRP vs $117 MSRP).
✅Delivers 80.4% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 68.3 vs 37.9 PassMark/$ ($65 MSRP vs $117 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 54W, a 19W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i3-7101E across 30 shared CPU benchmark tests.

Core i3-7101E

2017

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +3.6% higher average FPS across 30 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅100% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (4,430 vs 4,441).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 4 MB).
❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.9 vs 68.3 PassMark/$ ($117 MSRP vs $65 MSRP).
❌54.3% higher power demand at 54W vs 35W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon 220GE better than Core i3-7101E?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Core i3-7101E is ahead with a 3.6% average FPS lead across 30 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 220GE pulls ahead with 0.2% better PassMark. Athlon 220GE also has the bigger cache pool with 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 220GE is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.2% 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 220GE is the better buy right now. Athlon 220GE comes in $52 cheaper on MSRP at $65 MSRP versus $117 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.2% better PassMark. The compromise is that Core i3-7101E is still the better pure gaming CPU with a 3.6% average FPS lead across 30 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 80.4% better value on MSRP (68.3 vs 37.9 PassMark/$), 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 220GE 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 220GE vs Core i3-7101E Technical Specifications

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

Athlon 220GE

The Athlon 220GE 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 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 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: 4,441 points. Launch price was $65.

Core i3-7101E

The Core i3-7101E is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.9 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 54 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1600, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 4,430 points. Launch price was $117.

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Processing Power

Both the Athlon 220GE and Core i3-7101E share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.4 GHz on the Athlon 220GE versus 3.9 GHz on the Core i3-7101E — a 13.7% clock advantage for the Core i3-7101E (base: 3.4 GHz vs 3.9 GHz). The Athlon 220GE uses the Zen (2017−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i3-7101E uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 220GE scores 4,441 against the Core i3-7101E's 4,430 — a 0.2% lead for the Athlon 220GE. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 886 vs 1,250, a 34.1% lead for the Core i3-7101E that directly translates to higher frame rates. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon 220GE vs 3 MB on the Core i3-7101E.

Feature	Athlon 220GE	Core i3-7101E
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	2 / 4
Boost Clock	3.4 GHz	3.9 GHz+15%
Base Clock	3.4 GHz	3.9 GHz+15%
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 (2016−2019)
PassMark	4,441	4,430
Geekbench 6 Single	886	1,250+41%
Geekbench 6 Multi	2,023	—

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon 220GE uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i3-7101E uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2667 on the Athlon 220GE versus DDR4-2400 on the Core i3-7101E — the Athlon 220GE supports 11.1% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. Both support up to 64 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (Athlon 220GE) vs 16 (Core i3-7101E) — the Core i3-7101E offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B350,X370,B450,X470 (Athlon 220GE) and C236,C232,Q170,Q270 (Core i3-7101E).

Feature	Athlon 220GE	Core i3-7101E
Socket	AM4	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2667+11%	DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	8	16+100%

🔧

Advanced Features

Only the Athlon 220GE has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon 220GE) vs VT-x, VT-d, EPT (Core i3-7101E). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon 220GE) and HD Graphics 630 (Core i3-7101E) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon 220GE targets Desktop, Core i3-7101E targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Athlon 220GE rivals Pentium Gold G5400; Core i3-7101E rivals Embedded Ryzen V1000.

Feature	Athlon 220GE	Core i3-7101E
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Radeon Vega 3	HD Graphics 630
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x, VT-d, EPT
Target Use	Desktop	Embedded

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 220GE was priced at $65, while the Core i3-7101E came in at $117. On launch pricing ($65 vs $117), Athlon 220GE was $52 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 220GE delivers 68.3 pts/$ vs 37.9 pts/$ for the Core i3-7101E — making the Athlon 220GE the 57.4% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 220GE	Core i3-7101E
MSRP	$65-44%	$117
Performance per Dollar	68.3+80%	37.9
Release Date	2018	2017

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