Athlon 240GE vs Athlon Silver 3050GE

AMD

Athlon 240GE

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2018
Similar parts
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VS
AMD

Athlon Silver 3050GE

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2020
Similar parts
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Athlon 240GE vs Athlon Silver 3050GE Performance Spectrum

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 240GE vs Athlon Silver 3050GE 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 240GE vs Athlon Silver 3050GE: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon 240GE

2018

Why buy it

  • Better for gaming: +6.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
  • 100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Fewer obvious downsides in this matchup outside of normal market pricing swings.

Athlon Silver 3050GE

2020

Why buy it

    Trade-offs

    • Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon 240GE across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
    • Lower Geekbench multi-core (1,800 vs 2,200).

    Quick Answers

    So, is Athlon 240GE better than Athlon Silver 3050GE?
    Yes. Athlon 240GE is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 6.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 22.2% better Geekbench multi-core, and 0.4% higher PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
    Which one is better for gaming?
    If gaming is the priority, Athlon 240GE is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 6.9% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.
    Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?
    For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon 240GE is the stronger fit. You are getting 22.2% better Geekbench multi-core, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.
    Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
    Athlon 240GE is the better buy right now. Athlon 240GE comes in in basically the same MSRP band at $75 MSRP versus $75 MSRP, and it still gives you a 6.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 0.4% better value on MSRP (60.8 vs 60.6 PassMark/$), 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 Silver 3050GE makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2018). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

    Athlon 240GE vs Athlon Silver 3050GE Technical Specifications

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

    AMD

    Athlon 240GE

    The Athlon 240GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 21 December 2018 (6 years ago). It is based on the Zen (2017−2020) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.5 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: 4,561 points. Launch price was $75.

    AMD

    Athlon Silver 3050GE

    The Athlon Silver 3050GE is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Dali (2020−2021) 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: 512 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 4,545 points. Launch price was $149.

    Processing Power

    Both the Athlon 240GE and Athlon Silver 3050GE share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Athlon 240GE versus 3.4 GHz on the Athlon Silver 3050GE — a 2.9% clock advantage for the Athlon 240GE (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Athlon 240GE uses the Zen (2017−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Athlon Silver 3050GE uses Dali (2020−2021) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 240GE scores 4,561 against the Athlon Silver 3050GE's 4,545 — a 0.4% lead for the Athlon 240GE. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 930 vs 750, a 21.4% lead for the Athlon 240GE that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 2,200 vs 1,800 (20% advantage for the Athlon 240GE). Both processors carry 4 MB (total) of L3 cache.

    FeatureAthlon 240GEAthlon Silver 3050GE
    Cores / Threads
    2 / 4
    2 / 4
    Boost Clock
    3.5 GHz+3%
    3.4 GHz
    Base Clock
    3.5 GHz+3%
    3.4 GHz
    L3 Cache
    4 MB (total)
    4 MB (total)
    L2 Cache
    512K (per core)
    512 kB (per core)
    Process
    14 nm
    14 nm
    Architecture
    Zen (2017−2020)
    Dali (2020−2021)
    PassMark
    4,561
    4,545
    Cinebench R23 Multi
    1,800
    Geekbench 6 Single
    930+24%
    750
    Geekbench 6 Multi
    2,200+22%
    1,800
    🧠

    Memory & Platform

    Both processors use the AM4 socket with PCIe 3.0. Both support up to DDR4-2666 memory speed. The Athlon 240GE 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 240GE) vs 0 (Athlon Silver 3050GE) — the Athlon 240GE offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: A320,B450 (Athlon 240GE) and A320,B450,A520 (Athlon Silver 3050GE).

    FeatureAthlon 240GEAthlon Silver 3050GE
    Socket
    AM4
    AM4
    PCIe Generation
    PCIe 3.0
    PCIe 3.0
    Max RAM Speed
    DDR4-2666
    DDR4-2666
    Max RAM Capacity
    64 GB+100%
    32 GB
    RAM Channels
    2
    2
    ECC Support
    No
    No
    PCIe Lanes
    8
    0
    🔧

    Advanced Features

    Both processors feature an unlocked multiplier for overclocking. Both support AMD-V virtualization. Both include integrated graphics Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon 240GE) and Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon Silver 3050GE) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon 240GE targets Budget Desktop, Athlon Silver 3050GE targets Desktop. Direct competitor: Athlon 240GE rivals Pentium Gold G5400.

    FeatureAthlon 240GEAthlon Silver 3050GE
    Integrated GPU
    Yes
    Yes
    IGPU Model
    Radeon Vega 3
    Radeon Vega 3
    Unlocked
    Yes
    Yes
    AVX-512
    No
    No
    Virtualization
    AMD-V
    AMD-V
    Target Use
    Budget Desktop
    Desktop
    💰

    Value Analysis

    At launch, the Athlon 240GE was priced at $75, while the Athlon Silver 3050GE came in at $75. On launch pricing ($75 vs $75), Athlon Silver 3050GE was $0 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 240GE delivers 60.8 pts/$ vs 60.6 pts/$ for the Athlon Silver 3050GE — making the Athlon 240GE the 0.4% better value option.

    FeatureAthlon 240GEAthlon Silver 3050GE
    MSRP
    $75
    $75
    Performance per Dollar
    60.8
    60.6
    Release Date
    2018
    2020

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