Athlon 300U vs Ryzen 5 3600
Athlon 300U
Ryzen 5 3600
Performance Spectrum - CPU
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.
Value Upgrade Path
This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. The Athlon 300U is positioned at rank #624 in our cost-efficiency ranking, representing a Lower cost-benefit for your build. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.
Performance Per Dollar Athlon 300U
Performance Per Dollar Ryzen 5 3600
Performance Comparison
About PassMark🏆 Chipversus Verdict
🚀 Performance Leadership
| Insight | Athlon 300U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Gaming | ❌ Lower gaming performance | ✅ Superior gaming performance |
| Workstation | ❌ Weaker in multi-core tasks | ✅ Better multi-core power |
| Price | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($80) |
| Longevity | ✨ Modern (Raven Ridge 2 (2019) / 14 nm) | ✨ Modern (Matisse (2019−2020) / 7 nm, 12 nm) |
💎 Value Proposition
| Insight | Athlon 300U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cost Efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency | ❌ Lower cost efficiency |
| Upfront Cost | ✅ More affordable ($0) | ⚠️ Higher cost ($80) |
Performance Check
To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.
Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.
Technical Specifications
Side-by-side comparison of Athlon 300U and Ryzen 5 3600
Athlon 300U
The Athlon 300U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Raven Ridge 2 (2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.3 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 3,861 points. Launch price was $149.
Ryzen 5 3600
The Ryzen 5 3600 is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (2019−2020) architecture. It features 6 cores and 12 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.2 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB (total). L2 cache: 512K (per core). Built on 7 nm, 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4 Dual-channel. Passmark benchmark score: 17,685 points. Launch price was $199.
Processing Power
The Athlon 300U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 6 cores / 12 threads — the Ryzen 5 3600 has 4 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Athlon 300U versus 4.2 GHz on the Ryzen 5 3600 — a 24% clock advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600 (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Athlon 300U uses the Raven Ridge 2 (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses Matisse (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 300U scores 3,861 against the Ryzen 5 3600's 17,685 — a 128.3% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600. Geekbench 6 single-core — the metric most relevant to gaming — records 900 vs 1,295, a 36% lead for the Ryzen 5 3600 that directly translates to higher frame rates. Multi-core Geekbench: 1,800 vs 1,898 (5.3% advantage for the Ryzen 5 3600). L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon 300U vs 32 MB (total) on the Ryzen 5 3600.
| Feature | Athlon 300U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Cores / Threads | 2 / 4 | 6 / 12+200% |
| Boost Clock | 3.3 GHz | 4.2 GHz+27% |
| Base Clock | 2.4 GHz | 3.6 GHz+50% |
| L3 Cache | 4 MB (total) | 32 MB (total)+700% |
| L2 Cache | 512K (per core) | 512K (per core) |
| Process | 14 nm | 7 nm, 12 nm-50% |
| Architecture | Raven Ridge 2 (2019) | Matisse (2019−2020) |
| PassMark | 3,861 | 17,685+358% |
| Cinebench R23 Multi | — | 9,500 |
| Geekbench 6 Single | 900 | 1,295+44% |
| Geekbench 6 Multi | 1,800 | 1,898+5% |
Memory & Platform
The Athlon 300U uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 5 3600 uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2400 memory speed. The Ryzen 5 3600 supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 120% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 12 (Athlon 300U) vs 24 (Ryzen 5 3600) — the Ryzen 5 3600 offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: FP5 (Athlon 300U) and AMD B550,AMD X570,AMD B450,AMD X470 (Ryzen 5 3600).
| Feature | Athlon 300U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | FP5 | AM4 |
| PCIe Generation | PCIe 3.0 | PCIe 4.0+33% |
| Max RAM Speed | DDR4-2400 | DDR4-3200 |
| Max RAM Capacity | 32 GB | 128 GB+300% |
| RAM Channels | 2 | 2 |
| ECC Support | ❌ | ❌ |
| PCIe Lanes | 12 | 24+100% |
Advanced Features
Only the Ryzen 5 3600 has an unlocked multiplier for overclocking — a significant advantage for enthusiasts seeking extra performance. Virtualization support: AMD-V (Athlon 300U) vs Yes (Ryzen 5 3600). The Athlon 300U includes integrated graphics (Radeon RX Vega 3), while the Ryzen 5 3600 requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon 300U targets Budget Laptop, Ryzen 5 3600 targets Gaming/Budget Workstation. Direct competitor: Ryzen 5 3600 rivals Core i5-10400.
| Feature | Athlon 300U | Ryzen 5 3600 |
|---|---|---|
| Integrated GPU | Yes | No |
| IGPU Model | Radeon RX Vega 3 | — |
| Unlocked | No | Yes |
| AVX-512 | No | No |
| Virtualization | AMD-V | Yes |
| Target Use | Budget Laptop | Gaming/Budget Workstation |
Top Performing CPUs
The most powerful cpus ranked by PassMark CPU Mark benchmark scores.
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