Athlon Gold 3150G vs Core i7-4790S

Athlon Gold 3150G vs Core i7-4790S Performance Spectrum

Athlon Gold 3150G

4 / 4

6,922

0.0%

Athlon 300U

Athlon Silver PRO 3125GE

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Core i7-4790S

4 / 8

6,973

+0.7%

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 Gold 3150G vs Core i7-4790S 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 Gold 3150G vs Core i7-4790S: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

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

Athlon Gold 3150G

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $212 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $312 MSRP).
✅Delivers 209.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 69.2 vs 22.3 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $312 MSRP).
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon Vega 3, while Core i7-4790S needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-4790S across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (6,922 vs 6,973).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Core i7-4790S

2014

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +26.2% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 22.3 vs 69.2 PassMark/$ ($312 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
❌No integrated graphics, while Athlon Gold 3150G can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-4790S better than Athlon Gold 3150G?

Yes. Core i7-4790S is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 26.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.7% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-4790S is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 26.2% 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, Core i7-4790S is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.7% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 8 threads. It also has the larger cache pool with 100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).

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

Core i7-4790S is still the better call for a fresh build. Core i7-4790S comes in 212.0% more expensive on MSRP at $312 MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you a 26.2% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon Gold 3150G 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 6,922 PassMark with 4 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?

Athlon Gold 3150G makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2014). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon Gold 3150G vs Core i7-4790S Technical Specifications

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

Athlon Gold 3150G

The Athlon Gold 3150G is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.5 GHz, with boost up to 3.9 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 6,922 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i7-4790S

The Core i7-4790S is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 May 2014 (11 years ago). It is based on the Haswell (2013−2015) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 3.2 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 22 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1150. Thermal design power (TDP): 65 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 6,973 points. Launch price was $303.

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Processing Power

The Athlon Gold 3150G packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core i7-4790S's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.9 GHz on the Athlon Gold 3150G versus 4 GHz on the Core i7-4790S — a 2.5% clock advantage for the Core i7-4790S (base: 3.5 GHz vs 3.2 GHz). The Athlon Gold 3150G uses the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture (12 nm), while the Core i7-4790S uses Haswell (2013−2015) (22 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Gold 3150G scores 6,922 against the Core i7-4790S's 6,973 — a 0.7% lead for the Core i7-4790S. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon Gold 3150G vs 8 MB (total) on the Core i7-4790S.

Feature	Athlon Gold 3150G	Core i7-4790S
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.9 GHz	4 GHz+3%
Base Clock	3.5 GHz+9%	3.2 GHz
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	8 MB (total)+100%
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)+100%	256K (per core)
Process	12 nm-45%	22 nm
Architecture	Picasso (2019−2022)	Haswell (2013−2015)
PassMark	6,922	6,973

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon Gold 3150G uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-4790S uses LGA1150 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon Gold 3150G	Core i7-4790S
Socket	AM4	LGA1150
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933	—
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	—
RAM Channels	2	—
ECC Support	Yes	—
PCIe Lanes	8	—

🔧

Advanced Features

The Athlon Gold 3150G includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Vega 3), while the Core i7-4790S requires a dedicated GPU.

Feature	Athlon Gold 3150G	Core i7-4790S
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	AMD Radeon Vega 3	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon Gold 3150G was priced at $100, while the Core i7-4790S came in at $312. On launch pricing ($100 vs $312), Athlon Gold 3150G was $212 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon Gold 3150G delivers 69.2 pts/$ vs 22.3 pts/$ for the Core i7-4790S — making the Athlon Gold 3150G the 102.4% better value option.

Feature	Athlon Gold 3150G	Core i7-4790S
MSRP	$100-68%	$312
Performance per Dollar	69.2+210%	22.3
Release Date	2020	2014

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