Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE vs Core i7-6820HK

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

Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE

4 / 4

7,006

0.0%

Ryzen Threadripper 3970X

Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX

Core i7-6820HK

4 / 8

7,012

+0.1%

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 i7-6820HK 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 i7-6820HK: 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 $378 MSRP).
✅Delivers 277.7% more PassMark for each dollar spent, at 70.1 vs 18.6 PassMark/$ ($100 MSRP vs $378 MSRP).
✅Draws 35W instead of 45W, a 10W reduction.
✅100+% more PCIe lanes (8 vs 0) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.
✅Integrated graphics onboard with AMD Radeon Vega 3, while Core i7-6820HK needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Core i7-6820HK across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (7,006 vs 7,012).
❌Smaller total L3 cache (4 MB vs 8 MB).

Core i7-6820HK

2015

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +14.0% 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 18.6 vs 70.1 PassMark/$ ($378 MSRP vs $100 MSRP).
❌28.6% higher power demand at 45W vs 35W.
❌No integrated graphics, while Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Quick Answers

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

Yes. Core i7-6820HK is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 14.0% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 0.1% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Core i7-6820HK is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 14.0% 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 i7-6820HK is the stronger fit. You are getting 0.1% 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 i7-6820HK is still the better call for a fresh build. Core i7-6820HK comes in 278.0% more expensive on MSRP at $378 MSRP versus $100 MSRP, and it still gives you a 14.0% average FPS lead across 50 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 i7-6820HK 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 i7-6820HK

The Core i7-6820HK is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 4 cores and 8 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.6 GHz. L3 cache: 8 MB. L2 cache: 1 MB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1440. Thermal design power (TDP): 45 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 7,012 points. Launch price was $378.

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Processing Power

The Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE packs 4 cores / 4 threads, matching the Core i7-6820HK's 4 cores. Boost clocks reach 3.8 GHz on the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE versus 3.6 GHz on the Core i7-6820HK — a 5.4% clock advantage for the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE (base: 3.3 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE uses the Picasso (2019−2022) architecture (12 nm), while the Core i7-6820HK uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE scores 7,006 against the Core i7-6820HK's 7,012 — a 0.1% lead for the Core i7-6820HK. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE vs 8 MB on the Core i7-6820HK.

Feature	Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE	Core i7-6820HK
Cores / Threads	4 / 4	4 / 8
Boost Clock	3.8 GHz+6%	3.6 GHz
Base Clock	3.3 GHz+22%	2.7 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	7,012

🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE uses the AM4 socket (PCIe 3.0), while the Core i7-6820HK uses BGA1440 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard.

Feature	Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE	Core i7-6820HK
Socket	AM4	BGA1440
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 PRO 3150GE includes integrated graphics (AMD Radeon Vega 3), while the Core i7-6820HK requires a dedicated GPU.

Feature	Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE	Core i7-6820HK
Integrated GPU	Yes	—
IGPU Model	AMD Radeon Vega 3	—

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE was priced at $100, while the Core i7-6820HK 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 i7-6820HK — making the Athlon Gold PRO 3150GE the 116.3% better value option.

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

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