Athlon 300U vs Ryzen 7 3700X

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 300U vs Ryzen 7 3700X 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 300U vs Ryzen 7 3700X: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon 300U

2019

Why buy it

✅Draws 15W instead of 65W, a 50W reduction.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with Radeon RX Vega 3, while Ryzen 7 3700X needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Ryzen 7 3700X across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (3,861 vs 22,430).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 32 MB).

Ryzen 7 3700X

2019

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +215.7% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+700% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100% more PCIe lanes (24 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $329 MSRP, while Athlon 300U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌333.3% higher power demand at 65W vs 15W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Athlon 300U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Ryzen 7 3700X better than Athlon 300U?

Yes. Ryzen 7 3700X is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 215.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data, 480.9% 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, Ryzen 7 3700X is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 215.7% 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, Ryzen 7 3700X is the stronger fit. You are getting 480.9% better PassMark, backed by 8 cores and 16 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 700% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Ryzen 7 3700X is the better buy right now. Ryzen 7 3700X comes in at an unclear MSRP at $329 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 215.7% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (68.2 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

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

Ryzen 7 3700X makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting 700% larger total L3 cache (32 MB vs 4 MB) and more multi-core headroom with 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 2/4. That extra compute headroom is more likely to matter as games, background tasks, and creator workloads get heavier.

Athlon 300U vs Ryzen 7 3700X Technical Specifications

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

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 7 3700X

The Ryzen 7 3700X is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 7 July 2019 (6 years ago). It is based on the Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) architecture. It features 8 cores and 16 threads. Base frequency is 3.6 GHz, with boost up to 4.4 GHz. L3 cache: 32 MB. 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: 22,430 points. Launch price was $329.

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Processing Power

The Athlon 300U packs 2 cores / 4 threads, while the Ryzen 7 3700X offers 8 cores / 16 threads — the Ryzen 7 3700X has 6 more cores. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Athlon 300U versus 4.4 GHz on the Ryzen 7 3700X — a 28.6% clock advantage for the Ryzen 7 3700X (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.6 GHz). The Athlon 300U uses the Raven Ridge 2 (2019) architecture (14 nm), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020) (7 nm, 12 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon 300U scores 3,861 against the Ryzen 7 3700X's 22,430 — a 141.3% lead for the Ryzen 7 3700X. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon 300U vs 32 MB on the Ryzen 7 3700X.

Feature	Athlon 300U	Ryzen 7 3700X
Cores / Threads	2 / 4	8 / 16+300%
Boost Clock	3.3 GHz	4.4 GHz+33%
Base Clock	2.4 GHz	3.6 GHz+50%
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	32 MB+700%
L2 Cache	512K (per core)	512K (per core)
Process	14 nm	7 nm, 12 nm-50%
Architecture	Raven Ridge 2 (2019)	Matisse (Zen 2) (2019−2020)
PassMark	3,861	22,430+481%
Geekbench 6 Single	900	—
Geekbench 6 Multi	1,800	—

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon 300U uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Ryzen 7 3700X uses AM4 (PCIe 4.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2400 on the Athlon 300U versus DDR4-3200 on the Ryzen 7 3700X — the Ryzen 7 3700X supports 33.3% faster memory, which can translate to measurable gains in memory-sensitive workloads. The Ryzen 7 3700X supports up to 128 GB of RAM compared to 32 GB — 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 12 (Athlon 300U) vs 24 (Ryzen 7 3700X) — the Ryzen 7 3700X offers 12 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: FP5 (Athlon 300U) and AMD 500 series,AMD 400 series,AMD 300 series (Ryzen 7 3700X).

Feature	Athlon 300U	Ryzen 7 3700X
Socket	FP5	AM4
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 4.0+33%
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2400	DDR4-3200+33%
Max RAM Capacity	32 GB	128 GB+300%
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	Yes
PCIe Lanes	12	24+100%

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: AMD-V (Athlon 300U) / not specified (Ryzen 7 3700X). The Athlon 300U includes integrated graphics (Radeon RX Vega 3), while the Ryzen 7 3700X requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Athlon 300U targets Budget Laptop.