Athlon 240GE vs Core i3-9100TE

CPU

GPU

Athlon 240GE

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.5 GHz2018

Similar parts

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Core i3-9100TE

4 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2019

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Athlon 240GE vs Core i3-9100TE Performance Spectrum

Athlon 240GE

2 / 4

4,561

0.0%

FX-9800P

Athlon X4 830

Ryzen Embedded V1202B

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Core i3-9100TE

4 / 4

4,589

+0.6%

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 Core i3-9100TE 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 Core i3-9100TE: 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

✅Costs $47 less on MSRP ($75 MSRP vs $122 MSRP).
✅Delivers 61.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 60.8 vs 37.6 PassMark/$ ($75 MSRP vs $122 MSRP).
✅Includes a boxed cooler (Included), unlike Core i3-9100TE.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark (4,561 vs 4,589).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 6 MB).

Core i3-9100TE

2019

Why buy it

✅+0.6% higher PassMark.
✅+50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 37.6 vs 60.8 PassMark/$ ($122 MSRP vs $75 MSRP).
❌No boxed cooler included, unlike Athlon 240GE.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-9100TE better than Athlon 240GE?

It depends on what you want from the system. For gaming, Athlon 240GE is ahead with a 1.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. For rendering, compiling, streaming, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-9100TE pulls ahead with 0.6% better PassMark. Core i3-9100TE also has the bigger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i3-9100TE is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.6% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Core i3-9100TE is still the better call for a fresh build. Core i3-9100TE comes in 62.7% more expensive on MSRP at $122 MSRP versus $75 MSRP, and it still gives you 0.6% better PassMark. Athlon 240GE only looks stronger on raw value math because it is so cheap, but its absolute performance tier is too low to be the better recommendation now. At roughly 4,561 PassMark with 2 cores and 4 threads, it only really makes sense as a bare-minimum stopgap or a very constrained existing-platform upgrade.

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

Core i3-9100TE makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2019 vs 2018), 50% larger total L3 cache (6 MB vs 4 MB), and more multi-core headroom with 4 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 240GE vs Core i3-9100TE Technical Specifications

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

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.

Core i3-9100TE

The Core i3-9100TE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 April 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Coffee Lake (2017−2019) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.2 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 GHz. L3 cache: 6 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 4,589 points. Launch price was $69.

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Processing Power

The Athlon 240GE packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i3-9100TE offers 4 cores / 4 threads — the Core i3-9100TE has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.5 GHz on the Athlon 240GE versus 3.2 GHz on the Core i3-9100TE — a 9% clock advantage for the Athlon 240GE (base: 3.5 GHz vs 2.2 GHz). The Athlon 240GE uses the Zen (2017−2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i3-9100TE uses Coffee Lake (2017−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 240GE scores 4,561 against the Core i3-9100TE's 4,589 — a 0.6% lead for the Core i3-9100TE. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon 240GE vs 6 MB (total) on the Core i3-9100TE.

Feature	Athlon 240GE	Core i3-9100TE
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	4 / 4+100%
Boost Clock	3.5 GHz+9%	3.2 GHz
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+59%	2.2 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	6 MB (total)+50%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	14 nm	14 nm
Architecture	Zen (2017−2020)	Coffee Lake (2017−2019)
PassMark	4,561	4,589
Geekbench 6 Single	930	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	2,200	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon 240GE uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i3-9100TE uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2666 on the Athlon 240GE versus DDR4-2400 on the Core i3-9100TE — the Athlon 240GE 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 240GE) vs 16 (Core i3-9100TE) — the Core i3-9100TE offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Athlon 240GE	Core i3-9100TE
Socket	AM4	LGA1151
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2666+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 240GE has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon 240GE) vs VT-x (Core i3-9100TE). Both include integrated graphics — Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon 240GE) and UHD Graphics 630 (Core i3-9100TE) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon 240GE targets Budget Desktop, Core i3-9100TE targets Embedded. Direct competitor: Athlon 240GE rivals Pentium Gold G5400.

Feature	Athlon 240GE	Core i3-9100TE
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	Radeon Vega 3	UHD Graphics 630
Unlocked	Yes	No
AVX-512	No	No
Virtualization	AMD-V	VT-x
Target Use	Budget Desktop	Embedded

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon 240GE was priced at $75, while the Core i3-9100TE came in at $122. On launch pricing ($75 vs $122), Athlon 240GE was $47 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon 240GE delivers 60.8 pts/$ vs 37.6 pts/$ for the Core i3-9100TE — making the Athlon 240GE the 47.1% better value option.

Feature	Athlon 240GE	Core i3-9100TE
MSRP	$75-39%	$122
Performance per Dollar	60.8+62%	37.6
Release Date	2018	2019

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