Athlon PRO 3045B
VS
Core i3-6157U

Athlon PRO 3045B vs Core i3-6157U

AMD

Athlon PRO 3045B

2 Cores4 Thrd15 WWMax: 3.2 GHz2021
VS
Intel

Core i3-6157U

2 Cores4 Thrd512 WWMax: 2.4 GHz2016

Performance Spectrum - CPU

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.

Value Upgrade Path

This is the official ChipVERSUS Value Rating, comparing raw performance (PassMark) per dollar. Components placed above yours deliver better value for money. The Athlon PRO 3045B is positioned at rank 1177 and the Core i3-6157U is on rank 630, so the Core i3-6157U offers better cost-efficiency for playing games.

MSRP is the manufacturer's suggested retail price.
Avg price is the current average price collected from markets across the web.

Performance Per Dollar Athlon PRO 3045B

#1164
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
4514%
#1165
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
4448%
#1166
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
4083%
#1167
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
4065%
#1168
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
4027%
#1170
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
3889%
#1171
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
3729%
#1172
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
3723%
#1173
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
3623%
#1176
Core 2 Duo SL9600
MSRP: $316|Avg: N/A
100%
#1177
Athlon PRO 3045B
MSRP: $426|Avg: $180
100%
#1178
Core 2 Duo T5600
MSRP: $241|Avg: N/A
100%
#1179
Pentium N3510
MSRP: $161|Avg: $161
99%
#1180
Core i7-7Y75
MSRP: $393|Avg: $285
99%
#1182
Core i7-4500U
MSRP: $398|Avg: N/A
96%
#1184
Athlon Neo X2 L325
MSRP: $100|Avg: $5
95%
#1185
Core i3-2370M
MSRP: $225|Avg: N/A
94%
#1186
Core i3-3217UE
MSRP: $225|Avg: $35
93%
#1187
Celeron T3000
MSRP: $150|Avg: $54
93%
#1188
Core m7-6Y75
MSRP: $393|Avg: $393
92%
#1189
Core M-5Y10
MSRP: $281|Avg: $20
90%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Per Dollar Core i3-6157U

#187
Core Ultra 9 288V
MSRP: $600|Avg: $600
97%
#188
Core i7-10870H
MSRP: $417|Avg: N/A
97%
#618
Atom x5-Z8300
MSRP: $20|Avg: N/A
844%
#619
Atom Z3735G
MSRP: $17|Avg: N/A
831%
#620
Core i5-480M
MSRP: $81|Avg: $77
763%
#621
Core i5-460M
MSRP: $80|Avg: $129
760%
#622
Core i5-2540M
MSRP: $266|Avg: $10
753%
#624
Core i5-450M
MSRP: $32|Avg: $31
727%
#625
Core i3-380M
MSRP: $49|Avg: $25
697%
#626
Core i5-430M
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $33
696%
#627
Core 2 Duo T6600
MSRP: N/A|Avg: $4
677%
#630
Core i3-6157U
MSRP: N/A|Avg: N/A
100%
#638
Celeron Dual-Core T1400
MSRP: $80|Avg: $10
98%
Based on actual market prices and performance synthetic scores.

Performance Comparison

About PassMark

🏆 Chipversus Verdict

🚀 Performance Leadership

Generational Difference: This comparison involves processors from different technological eras. The Athlon PRO 3045B (2021) utilizes 14 nm technology and DDR4, providing a fundamental performance advantage.
InsightAthlon PRO 3045BCore i3-6157U
Gaming
Superior gaming performance
Lower gaming performance
Workstation
Weaker in multi-core tasks
Better multi-core power
Price
⚠️ Higher cost ($180)
More affordable ($0)
Longevity
✨ Modern (Dali (2020−2021) / 14 nm)
🛑 Legacy (Skylake (2015−2016) / 14 nm)

💎 Value Proposition

The Core i3-6157U (2016) relies on 14 nm technology and DDR3, DDR4, placing it in a different performance category relative to modern standards.
InsightAthlon PRO 3045BCore i3-6157U
Cost Efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Lower cost efficiency
Upfront Cost
⚠️ Higher cost ($180)
More affordable ($0)

Performance Check

Paired with RTX 4090

To accurately isolate CPU performance, all benchmarks below use an NVIDIA RTX 4090 as the reference GPU. This eliminates GPU-side bottlenecks and highlights pure processing throughput differences between the CPUs.

Note: Real-world results may vary based on your actual GPU. CPU performance impact is more visible in processing-intensive titles and high-refresh-rate gaming scenarios.

Technical Specifications

Side-by-side comparison of Athlon PRO 3045B and Core i3-6157U

AMD

Athlon PRO 3045B

The Athlon PRO 3045B is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Dali (2020−2021) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.3 GHz, with boost up to 3.2 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: 2,770 points. Launch price was $149.

Intel

Core i3-6157U

The Core i3-6157U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 September 2016 (9 years ago). It is based on the Skylake (2015−2016) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.4 GHz, with boost up to 2.4 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB. L2 cache: 512 kB. Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: BGA1356. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3, DDR4. Passmark benchmark score: 2,782 points. Launch price was $304.

Processing Power

Both the Athlon PRO 3045B and Core i3-6157U share an identical 2-core/4-thread configuration. Boost clocks reach 3.2 GHz on the Athlon PRO 3045B versus 2.4 GHz on the Core i3-6157U — a 28.6% clock advantage for the Athlon PRO 3045B (base: 2.3 GHz vs 2.4 GHz). The Athlon PRO 3045B uses the Dali (2020−2021) architecture (14 nm), while the Core i3-6157U uses Skylake (2015−2016) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon PRO 3045B scores 2,770 against the Core i3-6157U's 2,782 — a 0.4% lead for the Core i3-6157U. L3 cache: 4 MB (total) on the Athlon PRO 3045B vs 3 MB on the Core i3-6157U.

FeatureAthlon PRO 3045BCore i3-6157U
Cores / Threads
2 / 4
2 / 4
Boost Clock
3.2 GHz+33%
2.4 GHz
Base Clock
2.3 GHz
2.4 GHz+4%
L3 Cache
4 MB (total)+33%
3 MB
L2 Cache
512 kB (per core)
512 kB
Process
14 nm
14 nm
Architecture
Dali (2020−2021)
Skylake (2015−2016)
PassMark
2,770
2,782
🧠

Memory & Platform

The Athlon PRO 3045B uses the FP5 socket (PCIe 4.0), while the Core i3-6157U uses BGA1356 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR4-2400 memory speed. Both support up to 32 GB of RAM. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 8 (Athlon PRO 3045B) vs 12 (Core i3-6157U) — the Core i3-6157U offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives.

FeatureAthlon PRO 3045BCore i3-6157U
Socket
FP5
BGA1356
PCIe Generation
PCIe 4.0+33%
PCIe 3.0
Max RAM Speed
DDR4-2400
DDR4-2133
Max RAM Capacity
32 GB
32 GB
RAM Channels
2
2
ECC Support
PCIe Lanes
8
12+50%
🔧

Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon PRO 3045B) / VT-x, VT-d (Core i3-6157U). Both include integrated graphics AMD Radeon Vega 3 (Athlon PRO 3045B) and Iris Graphics 550 (Core i3-6157U) — useful as a fallback for troubleshooting or display output without a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i3-6157U targets Mobile.

FeatureAthlon PRO 3045BCore i3-6157U
Integrated GPU
Yes
Yes
IGPU Model
AMD Radeon Vega 3
Iris Graphics 550
Unlocked
No
AVX-512
No
Virtualization
VT-x, VT-d
Target Use
Mobile