Athlon Gold 3150U vs Core i3-7101TE

AMD

Athlon Gold 3150U

2 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.3 GHz2020
Similar parts
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VS
Intel

Core i3-7101TE

2 Cores4 Thrd35 WWMax: 3.4 GHz2017
Similar parts
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Athlon Gold 3150U vs Core i3-7101TE 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 Gold 3150U vs Core i3-7101TE 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 3150U vs Core i3-7101TE: 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 3150U

2020

Why buy it

  • +33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB).
  • Draws 15W instead of 35W, a 20W reduction.

Trade-offs

  • Lower PassMark (3,923 vs 3,956).

Core i3-7101TE

2017

Why buy it

  • 100% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

  • Smaller total L3 cache (3 MB vs 4 MB).
  • Launch MSRP is still $117 MSRP, while Athlon Gold 3150U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
  • 133.3% higher power demand at 35W vs 15W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i3-7101TE better than Athlon Gold 3150U?
Yes. Core i3-7101TE is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 1.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.8% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.
Which one is better for gaming?
If gaming is the priority, Core i3-7101TE is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 1.4% 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 i3-7101TE is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.8% better PassMark, backed by 2 cores and 4 threads.
Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?
Core i3-7101TE is the better buy right now. Core i3-7101TE comes in at an unclear MSRP at $117 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 1.4% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (33.8 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.
Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?
Athlon Gold 3150U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2017) and 33.3% larger total L3 cache (4 MB vs 3 MB). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon Gold 3150U vs Core i3-7101TE Technical Specifications

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

AMD

Athlon Gold 3150U

The Athlon Gold 3150U is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Dali (Zen) (2020) 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: 512 kB (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FP5. Thermal design power (TDP): 15 Watt. Memory support: DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 3,923 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Core i3-7101TE

The Core i3-7101TE is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 3 January 2017 (8 years ago). It is based on the Kaby Lake (2016−2019) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 3.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: LGA1151. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR3L-1600, DDR4-2400. Passmark benchmark score: 3,956 points. Launch price was $117.

Processing Power

Both the Athlon Gold 3150U and Core i3-7101TE share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.3 GHz on the Athlon Gold 3150U versus 3.4 GHz on the Core i3-7101TE — a 3% clock advantage for the Core i3-7101TE (base: 2.4 GHz vs 3.4 GHz). The Athlon Gold 3150U uses the Dali (Zen) (2020) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i3-7101TE uses Kaby Lake (2016−2019) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Gold 3150U scores 3,923 against the Core i3-7101TE's 3,956 — a 0.8% lead for the Core i3-7101TE. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon Gold 3150U vs 3 MB on the Core i3-7101TE.

FeatureAthlon Gold 3150UCore i3-7101TE
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
2 / 4
Boost Clock
3.3 GHz
3.4 GHz+3%
Base Clock
2.4 GHz
3.4 GHz+42%
L3 Cache
4 MB (total)+33%
3 MB
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)
512 kB
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Dali (Zen) (2020)
Kaby Lake (2016−2019)
PassMark
3,923
3,956
Geekbench 6 Single
1,188
Geekbench 6 Multi
2,368
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Memory & Platform

The Athlon Gold 3150U uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i3-7101TE uses LGA1151 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2400 memory speed. The Core i3-7101TE 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 Gold 3150U) vs 16 (Core i3-7101TE) — the Core i3-7101TE offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD FP5 (Athlon Gold 3150U) and H110,B150,H170,Z170,B250,H270,Z270 (Core i3-7101TE).

FeatureAthlon Gold 3150UCore i3-7101TE
Socket
FP5
LGA1151
PCIe Generation
PCIe 3.0
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2400
DDR4-2400
Max RAM Capacity
32 GB
64 GB+100%
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
No
Yes
PCIe Lanes
8
16+100%
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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon Gold 3150U) / Yes (Core i3-7101TE). Both include integrated graphics AMD Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon Gold 3150U) and Intel HD Graphics 630 (Core i3-7101TE) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU.

FeatureAthlon Gold 3150UCore i3-7101TE
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
AMD Radeon Vega 3
Intel HD Graphics 630
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
Yes