Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE vs Core i7-6820EQ

Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE vs Core i7-6820EQ Performance Spectrum

Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE

4 / 4

7,006

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Core i7-6820EQ

4 / 8

7,025

+0.3%

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 PRO 3150GE vs Core i7-6820EQ 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 PRO 3150GE vs Core i7-6820EQ: 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 PRO 3150GE

2020

Why buy it

✅Costs $278 less on MSRP ($100 MSRP vs $378 MSRP).
✅Delivers 277.0% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 70.1 vs 18.6 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $378 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 45W, a 10W reduction.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-6820EQ across 48 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (7,006 vs 7,025).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Core i7-6820EQ

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.2% higher average FPS across 48 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅+100% larger total L3 cache (8 MB vs 4 MB).
✅100% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 8) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Lower PassMark per dollar, at 18.6 vs 70.1 PassMark/$ ($378 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
❌28.6% higher power demand at 45W vs 35W.

Quick Answers

So, is Core i7-6820EQ better than Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE?

Yes. Core i7-6820EQ is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 14.2% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.3% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-6820EQ is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 14.2% more average FPS across 48 shared CPU game tests.

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

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Core i7-6820EQ is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.3% 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 i7-6820EQ is still the better call for a fresh build. Core i7-6820EQ comes in 278.0% more expensive on MSRP at $378 MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you a 14.2% average FPS lead across 48 shared CPU game tests in our data. Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE 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 7,006 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 PRO 3150GE makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2020 vs 2015). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE vs Core i7-6820EQ Technical Specifications

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

Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE

The Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE 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 3.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.8 GHz. L3 cache: 4 MB (total). L2 cache: 512 kB (per core). Built on 12 nm process technology. Socket: AM4. Thermal design power (TDP): 35 Watt. Memory support: DDR4-2933. Passmark benchmark score: 7,006 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i7-6820EQ

The Core i7-6820EQ is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 12 October 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Max frequency: 2.8 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: LPDDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 7,025 points. Launch price was $378.

⚡

Processing Power

The Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core i7-6820EQ's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE versus 2.8 GHz on the Core i7-6820EQ — a 30.3% clock advantage for the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE. The Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE uses the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture (12 nm), while the Core i7-6820EQ uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE scores 7,006 against the Core i7-6820EQ's 7,025 — a 0.3% lead for the Core i7-6820EQ. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE vs 8 MB on the Core i7-6820EQ.

Feature	Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE	Core i7-6820EQ
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz+36%	2.8 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz	—
L3 Cache	4 MB (total)	8 MB+100%
L2 Cache	512 kB (per core)	1 MB+100%
Process	12 nm-14%	14 nm
Architecture	Picasso (2019−2022)	Skylake (2015−2016)
PassMark	7,006	7,025

🧠

Memory & Platform

Maximum memory speed reaches DDR4-2933 on the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE versus DDR4-2133 on the Core i7-6820EQ — the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE supports 37.5% 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 Gold PRO 3150GE) vs 16 (Core i7-6820EQ) — the Core i7-6820EQ offers 8 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

Feature	Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE	Core i7-6820EQ
Socket	AM4	—
PCIe Generation	PCIe 3.0	PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed	DDR4-2933+38%	DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB	64 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	Yes	No
PCIe Lanes	8	16+100%

🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i7-6820EQ). Both include integrated graphics — AMD Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE) and HD Graphics 530 (Core i7-6820EQ) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i7-6820EQ targets Embedded.

Feature	Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE	Core i7-6820EQ
Integrated GPU	Yes	Yes
IGPU Model	AMD Radeon Vega 3	HD Graphics 530
Unlocked	—	No
AVX-512	—	No
Virtualization	—	VT-x, VT-d
Target Use	—	Embedded

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE was priced at $100, while the Core i7-6820EQ came in at $378. On launch pricing ($100 vs $378), Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE was $278 cheaper. In terms of value on MSRP (PassMark points per dollar), the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE delivers 70.1 pts/$ vs 18.6 pts/$ for the Core i7-6820EQ — making the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE the 116.1% better value option.

Feature	Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE	Core i7-6820EQ
MSRP	$100-74%	$378
Performance per Dollar	70.1+277%	18.6
Release Date	2020	2015

Search Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE on Amazon

Search Core i7-6820EQ on Amazon

Affiliate Disclosure

ChipVERSUS is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through our links. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our work in providing comprehensive PC building guides and tools.

Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.